Seinatra
12-30-2004, 05:09 PM
Taking out star players.
CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who took a hard, accidental elbow to the eye in a game on Wednesday, has a facial fracture, the National Basketball Association team said.
James, who turned 20 years old on Thursday, was listed as day-to-day.
He will be fitted for a custom protective mask as soon as the swelling goes down, and was expected to wear the mask upon his return to the court.
The Cavaliers have four days off before their next game on Monday at Charlotte.
James suffered the injury after taking a violent elbow from Dikembe Mutombo of the Houston Rockets in the second quarter of the Cavaliers' 98-87 loss Wednesday night.
James went for X-rays and a CAT scan at the Cleveland Clinic before returning to Gund Arena and did not speak with reporters.
He initially was diagnosed with a peri-orbital contusion, but the test results showed a left facial fracture of his maxillary sinus
With less than two minutes left in the second quarter and the Rockets leading 50-40, James stepped into a passing lane and was caught by Mutombo's right elbow. The blow, immediately dropped James to the floor.
"All I know is that I was running to the basket and (Houston forward Tracy McGrady) was trapped and he was trying to get the ball to me," Mutombo said.
"I knew there was a collision. The next thing I knew, LeBron James was on the floor."
The elbow finished an already tough night for the reigning Rookie of the Year, who was 0-of-5 from the floor with just three points. A day earlier he had his second 40-point effort of the season in a 111-102 win over Atlanta.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041230/ts_alt_afp/basketnbacavaliers_041230204603&e=1&ncid=
CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who took a hard, accidental elbow to the eye in a game on Wednesday, has a facial fracture, the National Basketball Association team said.
James, who turned 20 years old on Thursday, was listed as day-to-day.
He will be fitted for a custom protective mask as soon as the swelling goes down, and was expected to wear the mask upon his return to the court.
The Cavaliers have four days off before their next game on Monday at Charlotte.
James suffered the injury after taking a violent elbow from Dikembe Mutombo of the Houston Rockets in the second quarter of the Cavaliers' 98-87 loss Wednesday night.
James went for X-rays and a CAT scan at the Cleveland Clinic before returning to Gund Arena and did not speak with reporters.
He initially was diagnosed with a peri-orbital contusion, but the test results showed a left facial fracture of his maxillary sinus
With less than two minutes left in the second quarter and the Rockets leading 50-40, James stepped into a passing lane and was caught by Mutombo's right elbow. The blow, immediately dropped James to the floor.
"All I know is that I was running to the basket and (Houston forward Tracy McGrady) was trapped and he was trying to get the ball to me," Mutombo said.
"I knew there was a collision. The next thing I knew, LeBron James was on the floor."
The elbow finished an already tough night for the reigning Rookie of the Year, who was 0-of-5 from the floor with just three points. A day earlier he had his second 40-point effort of the season in a 111-102 win over Atlanta.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041230/ts_alt_afp/basketnbacavaliers_041230204603&e=1&ncid=