MEMPHIS, TENN. (AP) - Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay will miss at least four weeks with a left shoulder injury, a potentially serious blow to Memphis’ playoff chances.
Gay suffered the injury in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s 102-91 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
An MRI Wednesday showed a partial dislocation of the shoulder.
The 6-foot-8 forward will begin rehabilitation in a week and be re-evaluated in four weeks, the team said Wednesday in a statement.
Gay is averaging 19.8 points per game and six rebounds per game.
His loss is troublesome for the Grizzlies because they are in the middle of a four game winning streak and are currently vying with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Memphis is trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. The team is off for the All-Star break.
Gay has been a reliable scorer late in games for the Grizzlies, hitting several important shots.
He dropped in a tie-breaking jump shot with less than a second to play in a Jan. 24 victory against Toronto, and his high-arching basket over LeBron James gave the Grizzlies an win at home against the Miami Heat on Nov. 20.
Gay, a five-year veteran who played in college at Connecticut, signed a five year, $82 million contract this past offseason.
Gay was injured with 5:29 left in the second quarter as he drove across the lane during Tuesday’s game. He was fouled by Evan Turner, and was on the court in pain after the foul.
Memphis called timeout, and Gay returned to the game only long enough to shoot one-handed free throws because he could not lift his left arm.
He made one of two free throws to give Memphis a 41-26 lead before play was stopped on a foul by Grizzlies guard Mike Conley to get Gay out of the game.
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