Bucks lose Bogut to ugly elbow injury
April 4, 2010
MILWAUKEE (AP)—Brandon Jennings(notes) scored 23 points, helping the Milwaukee Bucksend the Phoenix Suns’ 10-game winning streak with a 107-98 victory Saturdaynight.
Now the Bucks must wait to see if they’ll have to face life without AndrewBogut(notes) after their standout center sustained an elbow injury.
Bogut, Milwaukee’s leading scorer and rebounder, was taken to the hospitalfor tests after hurting his right elbow during a dunk in the second quarter.Bogut hung on the rim then crashed to the floor, awkwardly twisting his arm.
Carlos Delfino(notes) added 16 points as seven players scored in double figures forMilwaukee. The loss ended a three-week winning streak for the Suns, who got 22points from Amare Stoudemire and 21 from Leandro Barbosa(notes).
The Suns hadn’t lost since March 12 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Milwaukee rebounded from back-to-back close losses on the road.
But a potentially significant injury to Bogut could be a more serious lossfor the Bucks, who have been one of the NBA’s surprises this season and aretrying to position themselves for the playoffs.
The Bucks only recently got over another unsettling injury, as Delfinoplayed his second straight game Saturday after he was taken off the court on astretcher during a Mar. 26 loss to Miami.
With Milwaukee leading late in the second quarter, Bogut took a long outletpass in for a fast break slam dunk. He hung on the rim afterward, was touched inthe back by Stoudemire and crashed to the court. Bogut wrenched his elbow on theway down.
A flagrant foul was called on Stoudemire, and he was booed loudly by Bucksfans, but television replays showed what appeared to be relatively light contactwith Bogut.
Bogut appeared to be in serious pain, briefly writhing on the floor beforebeing helped to his feet by the team’s medical staff. Hunched over and clutchinghis arm, he ran down the tunnel toward the locker room.
Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, is having a standout seasonfor the resurgent Bucks, averaging a team-high 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Bogut has shown ability on both ends of the court since he entered theleague, but nagging injuries have hindered his development. The Australian starplayed only 36 games last season because of a back injury.
Despite losing perhaps their best player, the Bucks outscored the Suns 36-16in the second quarter and took a commanding 58-34 lead into halftime.
With Milwaukee leading 81-62 going into the fourth quarter, Phoenix tried torally, cutting the lead to 10 on a pair of free throws by Earl Clark(notes) with 4:49left.
But Milwaukee’s Kurt Thomas(notes) blocked a shot by Barbosa, Jennings made a pairof free throws after a Phoenix foul to put the Bucks ahead by 13, and the Sunswere called for a shot-clock violation with 3:04 left.