China's Yi Jianlian of the Milwaukee Bucks will miss the final eight games of his rookie season with a sprained left knee, the team said Friday night on their web site. ( dpa )
Yi injured his medial collateral ligament during the game against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. The seven-foot forward underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging exam and further testing the next day.
Afterwards, Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr John Heinrich determined that the sixth overall pick in last summer's NBA draft would need a period of two to three weeks of rest and rehabilitation before returning to basketball activity.
In 66 games this season, including 49 starts, the 20-year-old Yi averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds. He recorded a career-high 29 points in the Bucks' 103-99 victory over Charlotte on December 22.