Mike Bianchi: Orlando Magic injury curse? No, it’s the modern NBA’s injury epidemic.

Three games into the Orlando Magic's season, and already discussions of MRI scans, rehabilitation plans, and return-to-play protocols overshadow victories and championship aspirations. Paola Banchero suffered a high ankle sprain, sidelined for at least a month. Jalen Suggs sustained a knee bone bruise, awaiting reevaluation in two weeks.

Jonathan Isaac remains out, haunted by a lingering injury. Noah Penda experienced a partially torn hamstring before the season began. For a sport seemingly plagued by injuries, this pattern feels dishearteningly familiar. Refusing to accept the notion of a cursed franchise, the NBA's broader injury epidemic becomes evident when examining other teams.

Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams and Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards both face season-long setbacks. Utah Jazz's Jaren Jackson Jr. will undergo knee surgery and return in six weeks. Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren is recovering from a hamstring issue, sidelined for two weeks. Toronto Raptors' Kawhi Leonard, known for his "load management," is again sidelined by a swollen knee.

The frustration lies in pinpointing a single culprit, leaving the NBA itself as the scapegoat. Modern salaries, salaries of hundreds of millions guaranteed to players, demand rigorous medical scrutiny for even minor injuries. The faster pace and greater physical demands of the game now place unprecedented stress on athletes' bodies.

Even with advancements in sports medicine, the human body struggles to keep up with the physical demands of the modern game. While teams possess unparalleled medical knowledge and technology, the trade-off is a diminished aura of toughness, with players now requiring extensive medical clearance before stepping onto the court. The irony lies in having more medical expertise than ever before, yet the NBA resembles a field hospital two weeks into the season.

Willis Reed's legendary 1970 comeback might be a distant memory, replaced by a world where players limp onto the court with MRI reports in hand, awaiting clearance before making a single shot.