Andrew Bogut undergoes PRP therapy for knee, no timetable for return
Even at 21-3, life is never comfortable.
The Golden State Warriors somehow own just a half-game lead atop the Western Conference after their 16-game winning streak ended, and they're now facing an indeterminate stretch of play without their center and defensive anchor.
Andrew Bogut will miss his fifth consecutive game Thursday due to what the team is calling chondromalacia (damage to the cartilage under the kneecap) and bone edema (fluid in the bone) in his right knee. The team revealed Thursday that Bogut underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy on the knee, with no timetable set for his return.
PRP therapy is generally performed to help relieve pain in the short term and improve the condition of an area in the long term, though there's not a generally accepted timeline for return after the procedure. Dwight Howard recently underwent the therapy in the middle of an 11-game absence, but the health of their knees could be entirely different.
While the Warriors have some frontcourt depth and should get David Lee back soon, Bogut's absence is going to hurt.
His numbers are somewhat modest - he averages 7.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, three assists and 2.2 blocks - but the former No. 1 overall pick has a massive two-way impact for the Warriors. Bogut's passing, screening and finishing help lift the offense, and his rim protection and savvy, physical defense help restrict opponents. Overall, Golden State has been 15.7 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor.
Bogut has said in the past he doesn't feel he's injury-prone because most of his issues have been impact-related, not structural, but his track record is alarming. Since 2008-09, Bogut has not appeared in more than 69 games, playing in just 59 percent of his team's games in that span.
Festus Ezeli has been starting in Bogut's place.