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Mozgov back to practicing after groin injury

John E. Sokolowski / USA TODAY Sports

It appears the groin injury Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov sustained Friday was not particularly serious.

The Lakers say Mozgov, who suffered the injury while playing for the Russian national team in a friendly against Ukraine, is pain-free and back to practicing with Russia after receiving a clean MRI, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

The 30-year-old joined the Lakers in July on a four-year, $64-million free-agent deal, and it seems a safe bet that the team wouldn't push him back into competition before he's ready. He'll continue to participate in practices and exhibitions with the national team as he prepares for his first season in Los Angeles.

The Lakers can only hope Mozgov enters the campaign in better physical condition than he did last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, when summer knee surgery contributed to what proved to be season-long struggles. The 7-foot-1 center slumped to his lowest scoring, rebounding, assist, and block rates in three years, and fell out of the Cavs' rotation in the playoffs.

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