Vijest otprije dva dana vezana uz zdravlje (i budućnost GSW-a)
Warriors' Curry, Bogut to have ankle surgery
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) --The
Golden State Warriors had big offseason plans for
Stephen Curry and
Andrew Bogut.
It looks as if they're going to need a new blueprint now.
Curry
and Bogut are each headed for another surgery on their injured ankles,
casting a shadow over the future of Golden State's new franchise tandem.
General
manager Larry Riley said Saturday that arthroscopic surgery on Curry's
troublesome right ankle will be "exploratory" to see if a more serious
operation is needed again. He called the scope on Bogut's fractured left
ankle to clean up loose particles "routine" and ruled out any
possibility the 7-foot center would play for Australia's Olympic team
this summer.
Curry had surgery to repair a tendon in his
ankle last summer. He repeatedly sprained the ankle this season while
playing only 26 games, the last coming against Dallas on March 10.
"It's an important part of the process," Golden State coach Mark Jackson
said before Saturday night's game in Houston. "The main thing is to
have those guys at 100 percent, and if this is the part that needs to be
done today, then put them in that position and so be it. I'm happy that
we're getting closer to that point."
Jackson would not give a timetable for either player's expected recovery.
"(I'm) excited that this part is taking place," Jackson said, "and we're moving towards those guys being healthy."
Curry
said recently he would do everything possible to avoid another surgery.
After consulting with at least three different doctors, Riley said
Curry, his family, agent and the team agreed it was best for the
franchise point guard and former Davidson star to go back under the
knife.
"The MRIs are conclusive to some degree, and not
totally conclusive," Riley said. "The advice of the doctors is we will
know best if we do the scope and take a look at it and see if anything
needs to be done from there."
Bogut's operation seems far less serious.
Riley
said there "appears to be some small, very small loose particles and
even possibly some scar tissue, which can be cleaned out with a scope."
Bogut, acquired in a trade that sent leading scorer Monta Ellis to Milwaukee on March 13, could be back to basketball activities as soon as six weeks.
"I characterize it as something that is as much a preventive thing than anything else," Riley said of Bogut's surgery.
Both
operations will be done by Dr. Richard Ferkel in the Los Angeles suburb
of Van Nuys, with Curry scheduled for Wednesday and Bogut on Friday. At
least one member of the Warriors medical staff will be involved in the
surgery process, the team said.
"I am very disappointed to
announce my withdrawal from the 2012 Olympic Games," Bogut wrote on
Twitter. "After seeing a specialist I have decided it would be best to
get my ankle cleaned out via arthroscopic surgery. There is simply not
enough time to rehab and be fully fit for the Games."
The Warriors, who had promised the playoffs before the season, are back to preaching patience.
Golden
State has gone all-in on a Curry-led backcourt, parting ways with a fan
favorite -- and top scorer -- when the team sent Ellis to the Bucks in a
move that netted Bogut, who already had been ruled out for the season
after fracturing his left ankle Jan. 25 against Houston.
The
Warriors have lost a season-high seven straight and 19 of 23 heading
into Saturday night's game at Houston. Jackson has never really had a
chance to show what he could do this season, with injuries gutting
Golden State from the start.
That has become a tired act
for Warriors fans - still amazingly among the NBA's most loyal bases in
the basketball-booming Bay Area despite only one playoff appearance
since 1994 -- who now have to suffer through the latest injury setbacks.
Curry
averaged career lows of 14.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds.
Selected seventh overall in 2009 by Golden State, his career has been
blended with incredible scoring efforts and confounding injuries on an
ankle nobody can seem to fix.
Curry even went to Nike
headquarters in Oregon at one point this season to get a custom-fitted
shoe for his right foot. He also vowed to wear a brace next season -
something he had previously resisted - and be more forthcoming to the
team on any injuries to his ankle.
Complicating matters even more, Curry is eligible for a contract extension this summer.
He
is finishing the third season of his four-year rookie deal, and Golden
State can sign Curry to an extension by Oct. 31. Riley remained mum on
those talks, however, it seems unlikely either side would do a deal
before next season with the ongoing injury raising concerns for Golden
State and driving down Curry's worth.
Bogut's career has followed a similar path.
The
2005 No. 1 overall pick missed the end of the 2009-10 season when he
dislocated his right elbow, sprained his right wrist and broke his right
hand in a hard fall to the floor. The injury bothered him for much of
last season. He also missed significant time with an injured lower back
in the 2008-09 season.
When Bogut has played, he has played well.
In
408 career games, he is averaging 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6
blocked shots. Golden State has long lacked an inside presence, and the
team is counting on the 27-year-old Australian to anchor the team back
to the playoffs.
[uredio Extra - 24. travnja 2012. u 16:14]