Warriors center Ognjen Kuzmic out at least six weeks after hand surgery

Ognjen Kuzmic out at least six weeks after hand surgery

Golden State Warriors center Ognjen Kuzmic underwent successful surgery yesterday on his right hand, the team announced. The procedure, which was performed by Dr. William Maloney and Dr. Amy Ladd at the Stanford Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Clinic, was necessary to repair the fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand. Kuzmic suffered the injury when he hit his hand on the backboard during the first quarter of the team’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 20. He is expected to be out for a minimum of six weeks.

Kuzmic, 23, has appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 4.1 minutes per contest.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal out at least two weeks with leg injury

bradley beal

The Washington Wizards announced today that guard Bradley Beal has been diagnosed with a stress injury to his proximal right fibula. He will miss the next two weeks and then be re-evaluated. The injury was diagnosed by team doctors following an MRI exam on Monday after Beal experienced soreness in his right leg.

Beal has appeared in all 13 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 20.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 40.2 minutes. He missed the final eight games of last season due to a stress injury to his distal right fibula.

Jazz center Enes Kanter day-to-day with sprained right ankle

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter, who was injured during the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s game at Oklahoma City:

Kanter was examined by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test on his right ankle Monday in Salt Lake City. The MRI findings confirmed Kanter has an inversion sprain of his right ankle.

Kanter will not play in tonight’s game vs. Chicago and is considered day-to-day. He will be a game-time decision for Friday’s game vs. Phoenix.

Kanter (6-11, 247, Kentucky) has played in all 15 games (14 starts) for the Jazz in 2013-14, ranking second on the team in both scoring (13.8 points) and rebounding (7.0 rebounds) in 31.9 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures in 11 of his 15 games this season, reaching 20-plus points four times, and also has three double-digit rebounding efforts. The 21-year-old native of Turkey was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (third overall selection) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Andrew Bogut, Mo Williams suspended one game each for fight

Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut and Portland Trail Blazers guard Mo Williams have each been suspended one game without pay for fighting after Bogut initiated an incident by elbowing Trail Blazers center Joel Freeland in the jaw.

In addition, for escalating the incident, Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge has been fined $45,000, and Portland guard Wesley Matthews and Golden State forward Draymond Green have been fined $20,000 each.

The incident occurred with 3:42 remaining in the third quarter of the Trail Blazers’ 113-101 win over the Warriors on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Oracle Arena.

The penalties were announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Williams will serve his suspension tonight when the Trail Blazers host the New York Knicks. Bogut will serve his suspension on Tuesday, Nov. 26, when the Warriors visit the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Lakers sign Kobe Bryant to two-year contract extension

Lakers sign Kobe Bryant to two-year contract extension

The Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant really like each other. And want to stick together. And have put it in writing.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the Lakers have signed Bryant to a two-year contract extension. According to ESPN reporter Chris Broussard, the deal will pay Bryant $23.5 million in the 2014-15 season, and $25 million in the 2015-16.

“This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization,” said Kupchak. “We’ve said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that that happens. To play 20 years in the NBA, and to do so with the same team, is unprecedented, and quite an accomplishment. Most importantly however, it assures us that one of the best players in the world will remain a Laker, bringing us excellent play and excitement for years to come.”

Bryant, a five-time NBA Champion, has earned numerous accolades over the span of his 17-year career, including being selected as the NBA MVP in 2007-08 and winning the NBA Finals MVP award in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The 15-time NBA All-Star has also led the United States to gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. Bryant has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last 15 seasons and has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team 12 times.

The Lakers have appeared in postseason play in all but one season (2004-05) of Bryant’s 17 campaigns with the team, and have reached the NBA Finals seven times, winning championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. The 6’6” guard scored a career-high 81 points (55 in the 2nd half) on January 22, 2006, the second highest game and half point totals in NBA history.

Originally acquired by the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996 after being selected by the Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant is the Lakers all-time leading scorer and currently ranks 4th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

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Derrick Rose injury news update: Out for season after knee surgery

Derrick Rose injury news update: Out for season after knee surgery

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is gone again.

Earlier this morning, Rose underwent successful surgery to repair his previously torn medial meniscus in his right knee. The surgery was performed at Rush University Medical Center by Chicago Bulls head team physician Dr. Brian Cole and team physician Dr. Chuck Bush Joseph.

Rose is out for the remainder of the season. He suffered his injury in the third quarter of Chicago’s loss at Portland on Friday night.

This is a real shame. D-Rose is a dynamic, exciting player and a key member of the Bulls. The former league MVP continues to be hit by major injuries that keep him off the court for extremely long stretches of time. Hopefully he someday finds consistent health. Until then, the Bulls go on without him.

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Andre Iguodala out indefinitely with strained left hamstring injury

andre iguodala

Relatively good news for the Golden State Warriors: Forward Andre Iguodala’s injury is fairly minor.

Iguodala has been diagnosed with a strained left hamstring following an MRI that took place earlier today. He originally suffered the injury in the third quarter of last night’s game against the Lakers at Staples Center.

Iguodala will not play in tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers and is out indefinitely. In 13 games this season, he is averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.92 steals in 37.2 minutes per contest.

Derrick Rose suffers right knee meniscus tear injury, needs surgery, out indefinitely

derrick rose

Bulls guard Derrick Rose sustained an injury to his right knee against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Subsequent examinations and an MRI confirmed a medial meniscus tear to his right knee, which will require surgery. Rose is out indefinitely, and will not accompany the team on the rest of its current road trip.

According to Yahoo Sports, “It is unclear when – or if – Rose will return this season. If Rose decides to reattach the meniscus – usually the route taken by young players – he’ll be expected to miss the rest of the regular season. To clip off the meniscus is a riskier long-term issue, but could have Rose back in one to two months.”

And AFP reports: “He showed flashes of his former MVP form on Friday, but late in the third quarter, when a pass from team-mate Joakim Noah was picked off by Nicolas Batum, Rose stepped awkwardly as he tried to get back on defense and hyper-extended his right knee. After hobbling to the bench he was helped the locker room. “He has pain and it felt like he couldn’t push off his right knee,” Thibodeau said.”

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Marc Gasol injured with MCL sprain in his left knee

Marc Gasol injured with MCL sprain in his left knee

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that center Marc Gasol underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which revealed a MCL sprain in his left knee. He will be out indefinitely and no surgery will be required.

Gasol (7-1, 265), who sustained the injury in the second quarter last night against San Antonio, was evaluated at the Campbell Clinic today by team physician Dr. Fred Azar.

The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Gasol ranked second on the Grizzlies in scoring, rebounding and assists and led the team in blocks entering the game against the Spurs. The 2012 All-Star and 2012-13 Second Team All-NBA center has missed just four games dating back to the start of the 2010-11 season, playing and starting in 239 of a possible 243 regular season contests.

Clippers forward Matt Barnes out at least two weeks with eye injury

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that forward Matt Barnes suffered a retinal tear in his left eye on Monday, Nov. 18 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Barnes will undergo a surgical procedure to repair the retina and is expected to miss a minimum of two weeks.

Barnes has appeared in eight games this season and is averaging 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 20.0 minutes per game.