Hooped Up

Last night behind Brandon Roy’s 42 points, Portland evened the series (1-1) with Houston and now the series shifts back to Houston. However, the Rockets will be without the services of Dikembe Mutombo after he sustained a career ending injury.

Mutombo, 42, was carried away on a stretcher in the first quarter of the Rockets’ 107-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 with what he said was a career-ending left knee injury. “It’s over for me for my career,” said Mutombo, who will be examined by team doctors when the Rockets return to Houston today. [...] “It’s not something that I planned,” he said. “All I can say right now is I had a wonderful run of 18 years and stayed injury-free. I thank God a lot for all this blessing and putting such great people around me for all of my career in the NBA. I’m just happy.

“I have to go out with my head high and not be disappointed and have no regrets. I have so many things I can be so thankful for over my 18 years.”

During his 18-year career,  Mutombo played for Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Houston. He was named Defensive Player of the Year four times and was selected as an NBA All-Star eight times. Internationally, Mutombo has been recognized for his humanitarian work and will undoubtedly continue to do so while retirement.

Via Houston Chronicle