Ticker reports: Toronto Raptors forward Jorge Garbajosa underwent surgery on his left leg and ankle on Tuesday and is out indefinitely. The procedure was performed by Dr. Mark Myerson, who has instructed Garbajosa to stay off his feet for a minimum of 10 weeks. There is no timetable for his return. The 6-9 Garbajosa suffered the injury at the end of March in a game against the Boston Celtics and required surgery. However, the second-year forward opted not to have the procedure in order to play for Spain in EuroBasket 2007 over the summer.
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Raptors swishing from line, outside
NBA News — Toronto ranks first in the NBA for both three-point and free throw shooting. The Raptors are shooting .426 from behind the arc and have three players ranked among the NBA’s top-20 three-point shooters. Anthony Parker ranks sixth (.509), followed by Jason Kapono (.500) and Andrea Bargnani (.452). No other team in the NBA has three players ranked among the top 20 in three-point shooting. At the charity stripe the Raptors have made 263-of-312 (.843) for the year. T.J. Ford leads the team’s qualified players with a .889 shooting percentage, followed by Chris Bosh at .876. The Raptors have six players shooting over .800 at the free throw line.
Garbajosa update: Surgery still needed
Jorge Garbajosa completed an examination with Dr. Mark Myerson of Baltimore on Monday afternoon. Dr. Myerson’s report concurs with the recommendation of the Toronto Raptors medical staff that Garbajosa’s injury requires further surgery.
No surgery date has been determined and no timing has been established for a return to basketball activity. Garbajosa will remain on the Inactive List indefinitely.
Jorge Garbajosa will have additional left leg and ankle surgery
The Toronto Raptors medical staff has determined that Jorge Garbajosa requires further surgery on his left leg and ankle.
Garbajosa also met with Dr. Mark Myerson in Baltimore today for a consultation. We are awaiting Dr. Myerson’s written report.
No surgery date has been determined and no timing has been established for a return to basketball activity.
Garbajosa will remain on the Inactive List indefinitely.
Not definite, but Jorge Garbajosa may be done for season
The Canadian Press reports: Toronto Raptors forward Jorge Garbajosa is scheduled to undergo medical testing Monday amid reports his NBA season is over. Spanish media reported Saturday that Garbajosa will miss the remainder of the season after electing to have ankle surgery. But general manager Bryan Colangelo disputed the report when reached at the Raptors’ game at Cleveland. “We have arranged for Jorge to consult with a specialist in Baltimore on Monday,” Colangelo said in an email. “Future treatment and therapy options remain undetermined at this point.”
The Toronto Raptors released the following statement Saturday in response to media reports out of Spain regarding the medical condition of forward Jorge Garbajosa: “We have arranged for Jorge to consult with a specialist in Baltimore on Monday. Future treatment and therapy options remain undetermined at this point.”
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Raptors PG duo leads league in assists per game
Toronto’s point guard duo of T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon have combined to average 14.2 assists through 10 games this season, more than any other point guard combination in the NBA. Ford currently ranks sixth in the NBA with 8.1 assists, while Calderon is 16th with 6.1 assists. No other team in the NBA has two point guards among the league’s top-20 assist leaders. – NBA News
The Raptors are trading wins with losses, however, and are just 5-5 for the season. Chris Bosh has had a quiet start, averaging 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game on just 40.2% shooting.
Rasho Nesterovic out 1-2 weeks with ankle sprain
The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday that following further evaluation and testing by team medical personnel, centre Rasho Nestervoic is expected to be sidelined for one to two weeks with a Grade 2 sprain of his right ankle.
Nesterovic sustained the injury at the six minute mark of the third quarter of Wednesday’s game versus Utah. He will not join the team on its upcoming road trip to Dallas (Tuesday) and Memphis (Wednesday).
Several NBA sophomores are stepping up
NBA News: The top three vote-getters in last year’s Rookie of the Year balloting are acquitting themselves quite nicely during the early going of their sophomore campaigns.
Portland’s Brandon Roy, the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, is pacing the Trail Blazers in scoring (20.7 ppg) and assists (6.0 apg).
Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani has converted 15 of 30 three-point attempts and is averaging 13.4 points to go along with 4.6 rebounds.
Memphis’ Rudy Gay is averaging a team-high 20.6 points, nearly doubling his rookie average (10.8 ppg).
Other notable second-year performers include, but are not limited to: Roy’s teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who is averaging 19.2 points and 7.7 rebounds; Golden State’s Kelenna Azubuike, who is averaging 18.8 points and shooting .531 from the field; Utah’s Ronnie Brewer, who is shooting .580 from the field, .429 from beyond the arc and .828 from the line in averaging 15.3 points; Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson, who is shooting .528 from three-point land while averaging 12.4 points; and Gay’s teammate Kyle Lowry, who is averaging 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Raptors change starting lineup
Toronto started the season positively, beating the 76ers and then destroying the Nets, but have since dropped three straight games, losing to the Celtics, Bucks and Orlando.
Now, a minor change is being made. The Toronto Star reports:
Yesterday’s move to replace Andrea Bargnani with Rasho Nesterovic in the team’s starting lineup – beginning tonight in Philadelphia – will give Toronto a look much like the one that led it to 47 wins a season ago.
Mitchell went to great lengths to explain it’s not an indictment of Bargnani but rather a chance for him to be better.
“It is not a reflection on how he has played,” Mitchell said of Bargnani, the second-year 7-footer who was given the starting centre’s job on the opening day of training camp. “It’s just … trying to get the most out of all our guys.
Toronto’s defense has been awful so far. Their opponents are shooting 47.8% from the field. They’re also being badly out-rebounded and slightly out-assisted.