Carmelo Anthony dropped 42 points in the opening game of the Jazz vs. Nuggets series and Denver cruised to a 113-123 victory to take Game 1. Sadly, that was the good news for Utah.
In the 2nd quarter of the contest Mehmet Okur left with an injury later diagnosed as a torn Achilles finishing him from the remainder of the playoffs and likely the world championships in his native Turkey this summer.
“It’s a sad injury, bad injury, I wish him the best,” Jazz point guard Deron Williams said as he sat dejectedly on near practice court at the Pepsi Center. “Memo’s a big part of our team. He stretches the defense. He’s a guy you really can’t replace just because his inside-outside game is really unmatched.”
Okur had been fighting through tendonitis in his left leg since April 7 and received a painkilling shot before Game 1. According to ESPN, Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor does not believe the injection and the Achilles tear are correlated.
[…] injuries the underdogs from Utah had that was supposed to due them in. Mehmet Okur ruptured his Achilles in Game 1 and AK-47 hasn’t even played in the series due to a reoccurring calf injury. Now […]