NBA teams
Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Brook Lopez could miss two weeks

NBA, Brooklyn Nets

Brook Lopez likely will be out 10 to 14 days with what sources are calling a "soft tissue" injury in his surgically repaired right foot.

The Brooklyn Nets confirmed Thursday that their All-Star center did not suffer a fracture to the foot, labeling the injury "a mild right midfoot sprain." But if Lopez needs more than 10 days to recover, his status for the season opener at Boston on Oct. 29 could be in doubt.

Lopez injured himself with 33.6 seconds left in the first when he was guarding Sacramento Kings point guard Darren Collison. Collison stepped on Lopez's foot, sending the 7-footer falling to the ground. Lopez remained in the game.

He told the training staff his foot felt sore, and tests were completed after the team arrived home from China. Lopez also suffered a midfoot sprain Nov. 28, 2012, and returned to the lineup Dec. 14, 2012, missing seven games.

"X-ray and CT scan studies done Thursday in New York reveal no fractures or bone injuries," Nets medical director Dr. Riley Williams III said in a statement. "Brook has been diagnosed with a mild midfoot sprain and is likely to be out for approximately 10-14 days."

Nets general manager Billy King said he is not concerned about the injury "because it's not broken."

King was asked why Lopez hasn't been put on a minutes restriction.

"You can't put him in a bubble, it's basketball," he said. "He's going to play."

Lopez was in good spirits after learning his foot was not fractured.

"I was nervous thinking about it on the [14-hour] flight," Lopez said. "It was good news."

King isn't concerned if Lopez misses the regular-season opener.

"It's not about the opener, it's an 82-game season," King said. "So if he misses the opener, he has 81 [games to play]. And if he misses the next one, he has 80, so it's not about the opener. It's a long season."

King feels as though the Nets are better equipped to deal with Lopez being out this season as opposed to last season because of the development of younger bigs Mirza Teletovic and Mason Plumlee.

Nets coach Lionel Hollins said that with Lopez out, the team will likely go with a starting lineup that features Kevin Garnett at center and Teletovic at power forward.

Lopez's health is a major key to the Nets' season. The 7-footer has missed 134 games over the last three seasons. He played in just 17 games last season after suffering a season-ending injury to his right foot Dec. 20 in Philadelphia.

Lopez, 26, underwent two procedures on his right foot Jan. 4, when he had surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal and a first metatarsal osteotomy, in which another bone was repositioned in his foot to unload and protect the injured area.

On March 3, Lopez had surgery to repair a torn tendon and tighten lateral ligaments in his left ankle.

He was cleared for training camp and played in Brooklyn's three preseason games, averaging 18 points, 5.6 rebounds and 54.2 percent shooting in 23.3 minutes per game.

Lopez previously fractured the same fifth metatarsal in December 2011, and he later had a screw replaced in it this past offseason.

Hollins has said that health will be perhaps the biggest issue for the Nets this season. Deron Williams also is looking to regain his All-Star form after undergoing surgery on both of his ankles in May.

ESPNNewYork.com's Mike Mazzeo contributed to this report.

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