UPDATE 4/4 4:41 AM: Bogut’s injury is actually more serious and more complicated than originally thought. According to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, not only is his right elbow dislocated, but he also suffered a right wrist sprain and broke his right hand. Gardner’s source indicated that Bogut will likely undergo season-ending surgery. However, the team has not indicated officially that Bogut’s season as over, as they have yet to release a timetable for his recovery.
4/3 10:15 pm: Milwaukee has been startlingly good since the All-Star break. It’s easy to point to Milwaukee’s acquisition of John Salmons as the clear reason why they’ve suddenly made the jump from mediocre to high-quality, but even more central to the Bucks’ success (not just over that stretch, but all season) has been Andrew Bogut. He’s quietly become one of the top centers in the league both offensively and defensively, yet seems to consistently cede the spotlight to Salmons and Brandon Jennings.
Bucks fans and the NBA world at large may soon find out just how good (or really, how bad) the Milwaukee would be without Bogut. After finishing on the break with a two-handed flush in the Bucks’ game against the Phoenix Suns tonight, Bogut lost his balance on the dismount and ended up twisting his elbow in completely unnatural and disturbing fashion.
According to Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times, the team has disclosed that Bogut has a dislocated elbow, but an x-ray showed no broken bones. No word yet from the team as to the specific timetable for his return, but it’s a fair bet that Bogut will miss significant time.
You can see Bogut’s injury here, but be warned: it’s not pretty. This isn’t a tweaked ankle or even a nasty collision, but a blatantly painful contortion from a big athlete hitting the ground with a ton of momentum. If you’re bothered by cringe-worthy injuries, I’d pass on it.