by Sam Perley, hornets.com

Most fans don’t like watching key players on their favorite NBA team hit the sidelines because of injuries. Inevitable in all sports, injuries are part of the game and learning how to adjust and deal with them is a major determinant in which teams will be successful over the course of a season and which ones won’t. Unfortunately, recovery isn’t as simple as just waiting for a bone or ligament to heal, as there are many factors that go into coming back from injuries then many might realize.

A little over two months into the season, the Hornets have already had to deal with a multitude of trips to the training room (and in some cases, the hospital). Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is arguably one of the better wing defenders in the league, is the most glaring absence this season. Kidd-Gilchrist was lost indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder he suffered during a preseason game in October. It is worth noting that Kidd-Gilchrist was recently cleared for non-contact work and is reportedly ahead of schedule on his recovery, initially believed to be around six months.

Starting center, Al Jefferson, has also had to deal with a handful of setbacks this year. Initially, Jefferson missed six games in early December because of a calf strain. Following a five-game NBA suspension, he made it through two games before being shelved with right knee soreness. Unfortunately for Jefferson and the Hornets, the right knee soreness turned into right knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which has a projected recovery of 6-8 weeks.

Even less-serious injuries here and there have taken their toll on the Hornets’ continuity this season. Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lin, P.J. Hairston, Cody Zeller and Spencer Hawes have each missed multiple games this year for various ailments. In order to heal, these players might be forced to skip practice while recovering, which causes them to miss valuable repetitions and training opportunities. Upon return, limited game minutes might also come into play as well which might further prolong the timetable needed to get back to where they were pre-injury.

Coaches are also forced to adjust their game plans and redistribute minutes to make up for the loss of a particular individual. Players that are used to playing 15 minutes a night might be asked to play 25 minutes. They also might be asked to play out of position and guard players they aren’t normally forced to. From a physical standpoint, this can take some adjustment for players because it’s not what they are used to doing most games. The better players in the NBA are the ones that can adjust and adapt through adversity, even if it means playing more minutes at a position they are unaccustomed to.

When an injured player does return, there is still a level of adjustment needed. Unfortunately, things are not nearly as simple as just re-plugging the player back into the lineup and everything returns to normal. Often times a team might get so used to not having an injured player that it takes just as big an adjustment in getting him back as it was when he went out in the first place.

While Kidd-Gilchrist’s shoulder might medically heal long before the six-month deadline comes to term, there is still a ton of work that needs to be taken care of first before he gets back into games. It might take weeks for players to get their shot back, be comfortable taking contact and regain their conditioning, the latter of which generally falls by the wayside during recovery especially for players with lower-body injuries.

There could also be a mental hurdle to overcome and players might be less inclined to put themselves in situations where they could re-injure themselves, especially if it is a scenario where they hurt themselves in the first place. Although it’s difficult to officially diagnose this sort of mentality, it certainly is an understandable thought process many players might undergo when returning from injuries.

While injuries can be discouraging for players and fans alike, they are unfortunately part of the game and a necessary obstacle that teams need to overcome if they want to maximize their potential over the course of a season. Although it might take some time and patience, learning to adapt with valuable rotational players sidelined should help Hornets in not only the immediate future but long-term as well.

Key Matchup vs. Clippers: Jeremy Lin vs. J.J. Redick

A Hornets win against the Clippers on Saturday afternoon will largely come down to how effective Charlotte’s Jeremy Lin can be at disrupting one of the NBA’s hottest shooters right now in J.J. Redick… Lin seems to be showing no ill effects of an ankle injury that sidelined him for two games around the New Year, posting averages of 14.3 points on 44.4 percent shooting, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists over his last three games… The Hornets will need Lin in lockdown defensive mode as he’ll attempt to contain one of the better pure shooters in the NBA right now in the Clippers J.J. Redick. He is averaging 19.1 points on 56.0 percent shooting (57.1 percent from three-point range) during Los Angeles’ current seven-game winning streak… The former Duke Blue Devil is also second in the NBA in three-point percentage with a career-high 48.8 percent… Lin and the Hornets can ill afford to let Redick get hot from long distance again if they want to win a revenge game against the Clippers on Saturday afternoon in the Staples Center.

Key Matchup vs. Nuggets: P.J. Hairston vs. Danilo Gallinari

For Charlotte to finish off its four-game road trip with a win, it’ll need a strong defensive performance from P.J. Hairston as he squares off against Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets… Hairston seems to be coming out of his recent slump, posting 9.3 points and 2.7 rebounds over his last three games while hitting multiple three-pointers in each contest as well… The Hornets will need Hairston active on the defensive front as they’ll look to utilize him against Denver’s leading-scorer, Danilo Gallinari. After playing just 59 total games the last two seasons because of a knee injury, a relatively healthy Gallinari has thrived recently for the Nuggets, averaging 24.3 points on 50.0 percent shooting along with 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists over Denver’s last three games… Perimeter defense continues to be Charlotte’s Achilles heel over the last few weeks and shutting down the talented Italian, Gallinari, will certainly be an imperative step if the Hornets are to pick up a much-needed road win at the Pepsi Center on Sunday evening.

Key Matchup vs. Hawks: Marvin Williams vs. Paul Millsap

Charlotte’s Marvin Williams will be reunited with former Utah Jazz teammate, Paul Millsap, when the Hornets return home to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Arena… Williams has been heating up as of late with averages of 11.0 points on 53.3 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over his last four games… The Hornets starting power forward could look to shoot a bit more against the rangy, fast-paced Hawks and their talented stretch four, Paul Millsap. The physical Millsap leads the Hawks this year in both scoring (18.3) and rebounding (8.8), which are career-high and career-high-tying marks, respectively, for the 10-year NBA veteran out of Louisiana Tech… With both players capable of playing away from the basket and creating space on the floor offensively, look for the matchup between Charlotte’s Williams and Atlanta’s Millsap to be a key factor in which team can come away with victory in this Southeast Division rivalry game.