Wizards' Gortat out at least 2 games due to family matter

The Washington Wizards will be without center Marcin Gortat for at least the next two games.

As Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports, Gortat will return home to Poland to be with his mother who has been hospitalized. He's expected to miss at least the team's game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday and Sunday's clash with the Dallas Mavericks.

Gortat, like the Wizards as a whole, has gotten off to a slow start this season. He's averaging 12 points and 8.7 assists per game - numbers almost identical to last season - but his shooting has dropped to just 51 percent.

The Wizards have also been 10 points per 100 possessions worse with Gortat on the floor, with the bulk of the drop-off (8.4) coming on defense. That's a marked difference from last season when the Wizards were 10.9 points per 100 possessions better with Gortat on the court.

Head coach Randy Wittman will likely turn to one of Nene or Kris Humphries to fill Gortat's absence.