Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard's Achilles tears already set NBA record even before potential Tyrese Haliburton injury

Once the potential severity of Tyrese Haliburton's injury began to sank in, the question became obvious:

What in the world is going on?

Haliburton's injury was speculated to be a torn Achilles. Two NBA superstars have already sustained that injury just in these playoffs.

Bucks guard Damian Lillard and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum dealt with the agony. And they're not alone.

According to Jeff Stotts, an injury analyst on X, there have been eight Achilles tears this NBA season. That's already shattered the previous single-season record of five which was set in 2014-15.

That's not counting Haliburton. It's also not counting the preseason torn Achilles by Thanasis Antetokounmpo, or the pre-draft workout Achilles tear by prospect Jalon Moore.

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There's no way to diagnose exactly what's going on here in short order.

The season might be too long. Lesser injuries may be leading to greater ones. Some have even wondered if it has to do with the new, lower-top shoes that players wear.

The reality is that the reason is only half the story. The other half is the heartbreak involved.

Torn Achilles are a year-long absence. They're hard to overcome fully even in the first healthy year back. They're something that can linger for a long, long time.

And they keep happening.

The NBA might have to figure something out. Because this has been a brutal, painful postseason for too many of the league's brightest stars.

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