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The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who has missed the last 14 Jazz games after suffering a strained lower back during the Jazz’s win over Minnesota on January 28:
Okur was seen by back specialist, Dr. Graham Hill, in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 1. Following his examination, Dr. Hill cleared Okur to increase and progress his on-court activity. This will continue on an “as tolerates” progression. No timeline for his return can be provided at this time.
Now in his ninth NBA season, Okur (6-11, 265, Yalova, Turkey), who missed the first 26 games of the 2010-11 campaign while recovering from an unrelated Achilles’ tendon injury, has appeared in 13 games (no starts) this season, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. The 2007 NBA All-Star holds career averages of 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists and had played in over 92 percent of all possible regular season games, including at least 71 games per year, over his first eight seasons (94 percent since joining the Jazz in 2004-05). Okur has appeared in all 82 games for the Jazz twice, including a streak of 233 straight games played spanning from 2004-2007.
