Strained Back. Tendonitis. Sore Ankle. Left/Right Knee Contusion. Turf Toe.

Those are just some of the "injuries" that have been used over the years to place a player on Injured Reserve. Some are legit, some are the diagnosis of Springfield's resident quack, Dr. Nick Riviera.

Think we're kidding? The Seattle Sonics once placed Moochie Norris on Injured Reserve with Insomnia.

The Houston Chronicle by way of the Bloomberg News gives some insight on the practice of stashing players on the injured list. Over the years, the NBA's injured reserve list has become akin to the NFL's Taxi Squad.

"It's probably as abused as any rule is in the NBA, and has been for many years," said Atlanta Hawks general manager Pete Babcock. "All of this lying is bad for the perception of our sport." Babcock's Hawks are known for placing players on the injured list only if they require the use of a wheelchair and a breathing apparatus.

"The league takes everyone at face value regarding who's hurt and who isn't," said New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn, a former league executive. The Nets, as we all know, haven't had reason to make up fake injuries for several years.

The most common reason for symbolically clubbing a player in the knee with a lead pipe? Most teams have players they don't want to surrender. These players are either handy trade fodder or young players that teams want to groom, just not in a meaningful regular season game.

NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said league officials are constantly re-evaluating the injured list policy.

"We're not totally happy with that situation," he said.