Monday, December 28, 2009

Injury bug bites Blazers again with loss of Przybilla

DALLAS (AP) -- Joel Przybilla of the Portland Trail Blazers sustained a ruptured right patella tendon and dislocated patella in the first quarter of Tuesday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Przybilla, who got the start, went up for a rebound and came down awkwardly on his right leg with 3:12 left in the opening quarter, falling to the ground in pain.

The Trail Blazers, who began the game with 11 healthy players, announced in the third quarter that Przybilla would be out indefinitely.

Portland has already lost center Greg Oden for the season with a left knee injury.

Travis Outlaw (left foot), Nicolas Batum (right shoulder), Patrick Mills (right foot), and Rudy Fernandez (back pain) have all missed extensive time for Portland this season.

Even coach Nate McMillan hasn't been immune, sustaining a ruptured right Achilles' tendon on Dec. 7 that required surgery.