Who's down, who's out. (Injuries).(Brief Article)

The preseason was rife with the usual amount of injuries designed to help players miss two-a-day practices, but some of the aches will be a pain well past the start of the regular season. With real preseason injuries to key players seemingly at an all-time high, these will hurt teams the most.

1. Antonio McDyess, Nuggets (knee, out until late January), The Nuggets spent the off-season fruitlessly searching for a third scoring option to put alongside McDyess and Nick Van Exel, and now they don't have a first option. A team that was on the verge of the playoffs last season might end up battling the Grizzlies for the worst record in the Western Conference.

2. Eric Snow, 76ers (thumb, out until at least January). Any number of 76ers injuries could be listed here--Allen Iverson (elbow) wasn't a lock to start the season on time, and Aaron McKie (shoulder) is a few weeks away--but Snow's is the most serious because it leaves Philadelphia with rookie Speedy Claxton running the point until McKie comes back. The 76ers' injury situation became so desperate last week they traded for Derrick Coleman. He has played more than 60 games only once the past seven seasons, so misery better make room for company.

3. Mike Miller, Magic (foot, out until late November). The Magic is counted among the favorites in the Eastern Conference because of the healthy return of Grant Hill and the arrival of Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant, but in the NBA, the whole sometimes is less than the sum of the ...