NBA special: Cavaliers lose Varejao for the whole season
The losses just keep on mounting for the embattled Cleveland Cavaliers, as the team management officially announced yesterday that their plain dealer Anderson Varejao has torn a ligament and will not be coming back for the remaining season. For a franchise still reeling from the after-shocks of losing the two-time reigning MVP LeBron James as a free agent, this season is shaping out to be as the one they will want to forget quickly.
On the field, Cleveland is languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and has conceded 20 of the last 21 games. Their woes though are just not limited on the court. Cleveland is already short-handed by injuries to Joey Graham (right quad strain), Daniel Gibson (left ankle sprain), Leon Powe (right torn meniscus) and Anthony Parker (lower back strain). On Sunday the struggling Cavs were handed another knock-out blow as it was learnt that their inspirational power forward, Anderson Varejao will be out for the season.
Varejao had injured his right ankle and foot during a team shootout and tuning session at the Cleveland Clinic Courts on Thursday as the team prepared for a 5-match road trip, starting from Oakland. He was examined immediately and received X-rays and MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health following practice, the results of which revealed an injury to the peroneus longus tendon.
Varejao travelled with the team for the road trip, but missed the match against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, as the team doctors observed his injury.
On Sunday, Varejao underwent a follow-up MRI in Phoenix at the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Centre. To the horror of the team and the Wine and Gold faithful, the results confirmed that the six-year pro had a complete tear of the peroneus longus in the right ankle and foot.
The ailment will require a surgery that can render him on the sideline for the whole season.
The franchise though has still left a door open for hope as they will ensure further treatment and investigation, once their star forward returns to Cleveland after meeting his family at Los Angeles.
Byron Scott, the Cleveland Coach seems to be the most perturbed by the shocking development.
"It's a big blow," first-year coach Byron Scott said in Phoenix before the Cavaliers played the Suns. "Arguably, he's been our best player."
Varejao has been the key cog of the crumbling Cavaliers campaign this season. The 6 ft 11 inches Brazilian leads the team with 9.7 rebounds per game and has also posted an average of 9.1 points and 1.2 blocks this season.
Already having much to ponder about as the Cavs continue to fall freely, Scott said Varejao was injured when he was running up and down the court during a simple drill.
"He was just running," Scott said. "Then he planted, touched the line and ran to the other end. And then he just buckled.”
"I feel terrible because of the way he's been playing."
Varejao's absence from the line-up makes J.J. Hickson a must pick in all leagues. The Cavs have nearly a third of their roster out with injuries, and they're extremely thin in the frontcourt. With Varejao out for the season and Leon Powe out for four or more weeks, the Cavs won't have a choice but to hand Hickson big minutes.
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