NBA news roundup: Rudy Gay has strained Achilles tendon, Kawhi Leonard out ...
Posted: Thursday, January 23, 2014, 7:01 PM
Rudy Gay, Kawhi Leonard, Pero Antic and Andrea Bargnani will all be out of action for at least a little while, plus the Nets have new Brooklyn Dodgers-inspired jerseys and Beno Udrih says he doesn't want to leave New York.
Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay will be in a walking boot for the next three to five days and then re-evaluated, after straining his Achilles tendon on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets and having an MRI on Thursday, via Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
Gay had to leave just six minutes into the game after this play:
Gay tied his career high with 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans a night before the injury, and has averaged 20.1 points for the Kings on 52.3 percent shooting since being acquired from the Toronto Raptors in December. In his absence, expect Derrick Williams and Ben McLemore to see increased playing time.
Kawhi Leonard (hand) out 3-4 weeks
Injured San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard will miss the next three to four weeks but will not require surgery on his broken right hand, via Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News.
Leonard, far and away the team's most versatile defender, fractured the fourth metacarpal in his right ring finger on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. As a result of the injury, the Spurs are looking into calling up Othyus Jeffers from the Iowa Energy of the D-League, via ESPN's Marc Stein. San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich joked about the situation on Thursday, via USA Today's Sam Amick:
Naturally then, in response to a question about the reported possibility of adding 28-year-old swingman Othyus Jeffers to the roster and the acknowledgement that they'd likely need much more help than that, it was a time for humor.
'What are you talking about? He's a stopper,' Popovich told USA TODAY Sports Thursday. 'This guy, he's the next Scottie Pippen on defense. You've got to be kidding me. We just uncovered a gem that nobody else knows about. You watch.'
In all seriousness, Popovich added that the team would have to rely on team defense and play a bit more zone to make up for Leonard's absence.
Pero Antic (ankle) out 2-4 weeks
Atlanta Hawks big man Pero Antic has a stress fracture in his right ankle and will miss two to four weeks, the team announced on Thursday. Antic was initially thought to have suffered only a mild ankle sprain against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 16 in London, with X-rays taken after the game coming up negative. On Thursday he had an MRI and another examination, where the stress fracture was found.
Antic played on Monday and Wednesday despite the injury, but he will now be required to wear a walking boot. This is a blow to a team that is already missing center Al Horford.
New York Knicks forward Andrea Bargnani has a torn ligament in his left elbow, the team announced on Thursday. He suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Knicks' 110-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, when he attempted a dunk from the dotted line, was fouled and fell to the floor. He went to the locker room afterward, but came back and was reinserted into the game. An MRI on Thursday revealed the torn ligament.
New York is already missing Amar'e Stoudemire (ankle), Kenyon Martin (ankle) and Metta World Peace (knee) in the frontcourt, so get ready for more Jeremy Tyler!
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash has not played since Nov. 10, dealing with back issues and repeatedly flying to Vancouver to work with his personal trainer, Rick Celebrini. On Thursday, Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters that he hoped Nash would return next Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers, via Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times:
D'Antoni says he hopes Nash can come back next Tuesday. Nash has been out since late November.
- Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 23, 2014
The Brooklyn Nets' new alternate jerseys were revealed on Thursday, and they're in Brooklyn Dodgers colors. They also have sleeves because of course they have sleeves. Here is Joe Johnson modeling one of them, via ESPN's Darren Rovell:
The @BrooklynNets to wear alternate jerseys in Brooklyn Dodgers colors for 5 games http://ift.tt/KMFLlz
- darren rovell (@darrenrovell) January 23, 2014
The Nets will debut the jerseys on March 21 against the Boston Celtics and wear them on four other 'Brooklyn Blue Nights' this year, via Rovell.
Beno Udrih denies that he wants out of New York
Knicks point guard Beno Udrih denied that he wanted to be traded on Thursday, via Newsday's Barbara Baker:
Beno when asked about report he wants to be traded. 'I'm a #Knick. I want to be here.'
- Barbara Barker (@meanbarb) January 23, 2014
A report from ESPN's Ian Begley earlier this week indicated that Udrih had told management that he would like to be moved. The point guard has received five DNP-CD's in the last eight games and played only in garbage time against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The Knicks have lost five games in a row.
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This article originally appeared on SBNation.
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