LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Cleveland Cavaliers starting guard J.R. Smith will have surgery on the broken right thumb he suffered in Tuesday’s overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks, the team said Wednesday.
A rehabilitation program and timeline for Smith’s return will be established after the operation, the team said. The recovery time from such an injury is usually four to six weeks.
Smith left the game in Milwaukee late in the second quarter of the 114-108 win. Initial X-rays at the arena were inconclusive, but he was re-evaluated on Wednesday morning in Cleveland — where the two teams were to meet again on Wednesday night.
Smith, 31, inked a four-year, $57 million contract extension in the offseason after helping the Cavaliers to the NBA title in June.
He is averaging 8.6 points in 21 games this season, missing five games because of knee and ankle injuries.
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