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J.R. Smith to miss 2 games with knee bruise and quad tendinitis

Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

The already banged up Cleveland Cavaliers are down another member of their depleted wing rotation.

Shooting guard J.R. Smith will miss the team's next two games after an MRI on Tuesday revealed a right knee bruise and quad tendinitis, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports.

Smith left the Cavaliers' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday after sustaining a right knee contusion. As head coach David Blatt explained, Smith suffered the injury while locking legs with Sixers power forward Nerlens Noel.

Injuries aside, it's been a miserable start to the season for Smith. After declining a player option then signing for a lesser deal in the summer, he opened the season in a shooting funk. The 30-year-old gunner is averaging 4.8 points points per game on 27.6 percent shooting from the field and 14.3 percent accuracy from deep.

Smith joins Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert on the injured reserve, which leaves third-string guards Jared Cunningham and Joe Harris to soak up minutes at the two spot.

Fortunately for Cleveland, the Cavaliers face two bottom feeders in the New York Knicks and the Sixers once again over their next two games.

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