Timberwolves’ Love fractures hand, likely out six weeks

[duncan228]

Timberwolves’ Love fractures hand (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-timberwolves-love&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Minnesota forward Kevin Love fractured a bone in his left hand during the Timberwolves’ 94-90 preseason loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night and will likely miss about six weeks.

Love banged his hand against teammate Oleksiy Pecherov’s elbow trying to go for a rebound on a missed free throw late in the third quarter and fractured the fourth metacarpal. The injury is to his non-shooting hand and he hopes to return at the end of November or early December.

Love led all rookies and ranked ninth in the NBA in rebounding at 9.1 per game last season, setting a team rookie record with 734 rebounds.

[DPG21920]

Damn, that sucks. He was having a nice preseason. By the way, Corey Brewer looked really good coming back from his injury. I think he has the tools to be a very solid defender and a serviceable offensive player if he can keep working on his 3 ball.

[Mel_13]

That really sucks. Damn Stewie.

http://www.expressnightout.com/content/photos/20090204-pech.jpg

[Samr]

Sucks for some fantasy teams right now.

[gaKNOW!blee]

Sucks for white people

[duncan228]

Wolves' Love breaks hand (http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/64652542.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:a ULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr)
After hurting his left hand on a rebound, the second-year forward isn't expected back for 6-8 weeks.
By Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune

CHICAGO - Kevin Love rose for an insignificant rebound in an insignificant preseason game Friday night at United Center and came down with a fractured left hand that's expected to sideline him until December.

X-rays taken at the arena showed he broke the fourth metacarpal bone in that hand and the initial estimate is he will miss the next six to eight weeks. Love will see a hand specialist Monday to find out if the injury will require surgery.

"Freak accident," he said as he sat at his locker stall following a 94-90 loss to the Chicago Bulls, his left hand heavily bandaged.

Love went up to grab the rebound of Bulls center Brad Miller's missed free throw with 3:50 left in the third quarter. His right hand collected the ball. His left hand whacked teammate Oleksiy Pecherov's elbow.

"It's one of those things you're upset about, but you can't be mad about it," Love said. "That's part of the game. You hope it doesn't happen to you, but sometimes things don't go your way."

Love's absence will leave the Wolves without one of the NBA's most efficient rebounders and it continues a run of bad luck with former first-round picks -- Rashad McCants, Randy Foye, Corey Brewer and now Love in four consecutive years -- who sustained serious injuries in their first two professional seasons.

He ran back down the court after grabbing the rebound knowing instantly something was amiss.

“As soon as I came down, it just didn’t feel right,” he said. “As I was running up the court, I just wanted to call timeout. It felt numb. I couldn’t feel three fingers on that hand. It didn’t feel right.”

Now teammate Al Jefferson can telephone Love with encouraging words just as Love did when Jefferson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in February. That injury required seven months of recuperation.

"It hurts to know he's going to be out until, well, December," Jefferson said. "When he's out there, it makes my job easier. It's going to hurt not having my son out there. But I know he's going to stay ready and do what he's got to do to get back as soon as possible."

Jefferson delivered a firm message to his teammate as the two left the Wolves' locker room late Friday night.

"You need to stay in shape now," Jefferson said. "Stay in shape, man."

[angelbelow]

I wonder how far down Kevin Love will drop in rounds. Do you guys think round 11-13?

[Mike D]

There goes my fantasy sleeper.