Andrew Bogut Injury: Updates on Warriors Star's Eye and Return
Golden State Warriors star Andrew Bogut suffered an eye injury on Sunday, against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Continue for updates.
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Bogut to Start vs. Heat
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle confirms Andre Bogut will play tonight in Miami:
Previously Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick reported an update on Bogut's status for Tuesday's game from head coach Steve Kerr:
Bogut Takes Part In Shootaround
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle has an update on Andrew Bogut's status ahead of Tuesday's game:
Sunday, Nov. 23
Bogut Suffers Eye Injury
Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut has struggled to live up to his potential since entering the league due to an inability to avoid injuries. There were high hopes for him entering the 2014-15 NBA season, but the big Aussie has been bitten by the injury bug once again.
According to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, the 10th-year player out of the University of Utah suffered a eye injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder:
Bogut and provided an update to fans on his Twitter account after the game:
Simmons added:
Bogut's durability has always been a major question mark since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Although the 7-footer played in all 82 games as a rookie, he hasn't repeated that feat since.
In fact, Bogut hasn't played in more than 69 games in a single season since 2007-08. Although his 67 games played last year marked his most since 2009-10, he was forced to miss the Warriors' playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a fractured rib.
Despite the disappointing end to his 2013-14 campaign, Bogut entered this season with plenty of optimism, per Simmons:
"My body feels great. All of my injuries have been of the high-impact variety. The only thing I can do to change that is to be a puss and avoid contact at all costs. Then, it's the other side of the ball when people say I'm a puss. I'll take the good with the bad. I'll still take charges and go for blocked shots. Every now and then, I'll get a knock.
"
According to Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group, Bogut still remembered the terrible feeling of having to watch the 2014 playoffs from home, however:
Prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, Bogut held career averages of 11.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game. While those were respectable statistics, they weren't exactly befitting of a first-overall selection.
With Steve Kerr replacing Mark Jackson as Golden State's head coach, all signs pointed toward Bogut taking on a bigger role than ever before. That led teammates such as forward Harrison Barnes to stress the importance of having the big center healthy as much as possible, per Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press (h/t Sportal.com).
"It's having one of the best defensive centers in the league there versus not having him there. It's daylight and darkness," Barnes said. "When he's healthy, he can pass, he can move. It just changes our whole dynamic."
While much of the focus when it comes to the Warriors is on the fantastic guard play of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Bogut is the type of player who can be an X-factor and true difference-maker when he is on the court.
According to ESPN.com's Ethan Sherwood Strauss, Bogut's role in the Warriors offense has changed significantly this season:
With Bogut on the shelf once again, Kerr will have to do some shuffling. Power forward David Lee figures to get the bulk of the offensive touches in the paint. Golden State doesn't have another center of Bogut's ilk, but second-year player Festus Ezeli is likely to take on most of his minutes.
Ezeli is more of a defensive-minded player who primarily sets screens on the offensive end, so Golden State will have a much different look in that regard.
While those involved with the Warriors obviously would love to have Bogut back as soon as possible, they probably aren't holding their breath knowing his injury history.
This is yet another example of Bogut's bad luck, but perhaps this time he will find a way to bounce back and be effective upon his return.
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