Golden State Warriors Centre Andrew Bogut will miss the remainder of the NBA Finals after injuring his knee, the team said on Wednesday, with the Australian still hopeful of recovering in time for the Olympics.
Bogut, who traveled to Cleveland for Thursday’s Game Six, where the Warriors have another chance to capture their second consecutive NBA title, suffered a “significant impaction injury” to his left knee in Game Five, the team said in a statement.
The 31-year-old, who sustained the injury in the third quarter of the game when Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith collided with him on a layup attempt, would not require surgery but needed 6-8 weeks of recovery, according to the Warriors.
His injury is the latest blow to a Warriors team that failed to close out the series they now lead 3-2 on their home court on Monday, when they were playing without suspended power forward and defensive stalwart Draymond Green.
Bogut, who came down awkwardly on his left leg after the collision, immediately grabbed his knee and writhed in pain on the floor until play stopped. He was helped off the court and was walking gingerly as he left the arena after the 112-97 loss.
An MRI conducted on Tuesday revealed the impact resulted in bone bruises to the proximal tibia and distal femur.
The injury layoff also casts doubt on his involvement in the August 5-21 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where Australia will be targeting a first ever men’s basketball medal.
Basketball Australia said, however, that Bogut had already been in contact with Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis.
“He remains committed to Rio and will make a statement in the coming days,” the body Tweeted on Thursday.
© Reuters
