Sprained right thumb sends Iverson to sidelines

[mavsfanforever]

Associated Press


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Allen Iverson will miss the U.S. national team's final two games at the Tournament of the Americas because of a sprained right thumb.


Team spokesman Craig Miller said Saturday that Iverson injured the thumb in the first half of Thursday's 91-65 victory over Puerto Rico.


An X-ray and a CAT scan were negative, Miller said, but team doctors have ruled him out of the final two games.


A berth in the 2004 Olympics was at stake Saturday night as the U.S. team played Puerto Rico.


In the other semifinal, Canada played Argentina. A third Olympic berth will go to the winner of the third-place game Sunday.


This is the second injury to a key player for the U.S. team, which went 8-0 in the first two rounds. Tracy McGrady aggravated a sprained back in the final game of the first round and ruled himself out of the remainder of the tournament, but he returned Thursday night after receiving treatment and judging himself healthy enough to play.


Iverson started all eight games for the Americans, averaging 14.3 points -- second on the team behind Tim Duncan's 14.7. He made seven 3-pointers in the third quarter against Canada on Tuesday and finished with 28 points -- the most by any U.S. player in this tournament.


Iverson also sprained his right thumb last November in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Two days later, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that he would not play that night against Cleveland -- although Iverson wound up being in the starting lineup.

[EricaLubarsky]

ouch. but BFD.

[one long blue sock]

http://sbzballersboard.co.uk/forum/t...?TOPIC_ID=3351

this web-site has some pretty nice pics.

[JamisonJigga]

Iverson being the tough player that he is will I bet, return pretty soon. I don't see him sitting on the sidelines for long.

[one long blue sock]

If he was in a Sixers uni.

But you have to admit, this is USA basketball, and the team already has perfection at guards. If it is serious at all, he will just rest it.

But if he is able to come back, I'm sure he will.

I read an article awile back, he said he took the USA loss's to heart, and took it like he was playing on that team himself. He said he would most like to focus on defense. My thought, is how deadly would it be to have Iverson averaging like 20 points, and being a defensive specialist. Taking only good shots, would defiantly knock off points, but he would still get 20. And if I'm correct, he has been the league leader in steals the past 2 years. I'm not sure on that though.

[JamisonJigga]

Yep, the Answer's been the league leader in steals the last few years. I doubt in USA bball he'll average 20 points, Larry Brown switches the rotation on the players pretty often since there are som many guards.