CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut, sidelined by a left knee injury for the remainder of the NBA Finals, said Thursday it is “very unlikely” he will play for Australia at the Rio Olympics.
The 7-footer (2.13m) will be sidelined at least six to eight weeks after suffering multiple bone bruises in game five of the best-of-seven championship series on Monday.
That offers a best-case, outside chance scenario of Bogut being healthy in time for Rio, but not in prime playing shape for any of the Boomers’ training or Brazil tuneup matches.
“I’m not great at math, but six to eight weeks minimum is what I’ve been told,” Bogut said. “It’s very unlikely at this point, to be honest.”
Bogut suffered the injury blocking a shot by Cleveland guard J.R. Smith and landed awkwardly. He collapsed to the court writhing in pain and holding his knee and had to be helped off the court and to the locker room.
“Somehow he cannonballed right into my shin with his shoulder,” Bogut said. “It was painful. … I thought I blew out my knee, with the pain that I had.”
Bogut plans an aggressive rehabilitation program to get the knee in shape and holds out hope with a July check-up but says Rio is a longshot.
“We’ll reevaluate it in a month,” Bogut said. “If I can get back on the court, we’ll see. But as of now it’s not looking good.”
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