The Hawks announced they would be without Korver after an MRI on Saturday confirmed the injury. He will visit a foot and ankle specialist to determine the best course of treatment.

“Obviously, it’s very, very unfortunate for Kyle,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He’s such a big part of what we do. But there will be other people who will get opportunities. We expect to compete and get after it tomorrow in Game 3. I don’t think anybody is going to feel sorry for us.”

Korver injured the ankle in the third quarter Friday of Atlanta’s 94-82 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The first-time All-Star suffered the injury when Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova rolled into him while the two players were pursuing a loose ball.

“Injuries are such a big part of our league and a big part of the playoffs,” Budenholzer said. “Everyone has to deal with them, and we’re not any different. Of course you’d love to have everybody healthy and have your whole team and be at full speed. That’s the ideal, but you can’t spend too much time or frustration thinking about it, concerned about it. You’ve got to get your mind right. You’ve got to get your mind focused. The guys that are healthy, the guys that are available get ready to compete, get ready to get after it and go play a basketball game.”

The league leader in true shooting percentage at 69.9, Korver had his most productive season since being chosen late in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft. For much of the season, he maintained a 3-point shooting clip above 50 percent. He finished the season at 49.2 percent from beyond the arc with an average of 2.9 made 3-pointers per game, trailing only Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

But Korver’s production had dropped in the postseason, as the Hawks’ opponents schemed to reduce his shot attempts. A spot-up shooter who generally requires multiple screens from teammates to get open, Korver has been pursued doggedly by his primary defenders throughout the playoffs and often encounters a second defender hedging on the other side of the screen.

Korver finished Game 2 with 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting, including 2-for-6 from behind the 3-point line, in 32 minutes. In 14 games this postseason, he averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 37.6 minutes per game.

Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll was a surprise starter in Game 2 after crumpling to the floor in Game 1 with a left knee sprain. Carroll entered Philips Arena with a limp and grimaced through warm-ups but ultimately played 34 minutes in Game 2, a team high. He finished with six points and three rebounds.

After the game, Carroll characterized himself as “not 100 percent” but said he “would’ve gone out there on one leg.”

“DeMarre made it through last night good,” Budenholzer said Sunday. “I think he’s still a little sore, but considering the circumstances, he made it through last night well, and we expect him to play tomorrow and we expect him to be good.”

Budenholzer’s options to replace Korver in the starting lineup include Kent Bazemore, Shelvin Mack, backup point guard Dennis Schroder, who has spent a fair amount of time sharing the backcourt with starter Jeff Teague, and little-used shooting guard John Jenkins.

“[Bazemore] is someone we’ll consider that has the potential to start,” Budenholzer said. “DeMarre and Baze have played together. We sub Baze in for Kyle usually pretty early in the first quarter, so they’ve played together a fair amount and they’ll probably have to play together more, whether it’s to start the game or not.”

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Korver entered Friday night’s game having traveled 2.7 miles per game in the postseason, fourth-most in the NBA. At 34, Korver is the oldest among the top 55 players in miles traveled.

When made aware of the statistics, Korver told ESPN on Friday before Game 3 that playing in perpetual motion is a natural byproduct of his game but said he wouldn’t cite fatigue as a factor in his struggles.

The Hawks, who trail the series 2-0, visit the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Sunday night in Game 3.

The post Kyle Korver to miss rest of postseason appeared first on IdealCapper.

Marshall remained hospitalized Friday receiving treatment.

“I went over to the hospital last night to see him,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “He was in very good spirits. He’s got some healing to do.”

The team officially said Friday that the veteran won’t play in next Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints, and that it plans to make a determination on the best course of action for the receiver once it receives more information regarding his condition.

Marshall left Soldier Field in an ambulance after suffering the injury in the second quarter.

With 7:35 remaining in the first half, he caught a fourth-down pass from Jay Cutler. As Marshall secured the ball, Cowboys safety Barry Church came in late to make the play, jamming his right knee into the lower right side of the receiver’s back and midsection.

“Yeah, it looked kind of [like] an innocent hit. I didn’t see it that well,” Cutler said after the game. “He’s a big guy and has taken a lot of crazy hits over the years. He doesn’t stay down. So whenever he stays down, you know something is seriously wrong. We’re all worried about him. He’s our guy, and hopefully he’ll get back sooner rather than later. He’s in pain. We talked to him at halftime a little bit. They are still checking him out, but he was in good spirits.”

Athletic trainers attended to Marshall briefly before the receiver walked off the field under his own power. He was later escorted into the locker room, before being taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Marshall caught three passes for 61 yards prior to suffering the injury.

The hit Marshall took against the Cowboys marks the third time this season he suffered an injury that forced him to miss playing time. Marshall was slowed for the early part of the season because of a high right ankle sprain suffered against the Buffalo Bills in the opener. Then, during the team’s Nov. 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Marshall sprained his left ankle.

Marshall entered the game fourth on the team in receptions, and he now has 61 receptions for 721 yards and eight touchdowns.

With Marshall out of the mix for what sources say will be the remainder of the season, the Bears likely will use second-year receiver Marquess Wilson in his place while moving Josh Morgan into the slot receiver’s role.

“I think he was in good spirits, and that’s all we really talked about — that he was gonna be OK,” Trestman said. “He had a big smile on his face. That was the extent of it. He’s certainly one of the best communicators and charismatic guys we have on our football team.”

The post Brandon Marshall hospitalized appeared first on IdealCapper.

Romo said after Thursday night’s 41-28 win against the Chicago Bears that he was playing with a broken rib. However, multiple sources say Romo misspoke and that he had torn rib cartilage, not a break.

The quarterback said he was unsure when he suffered the rib injury, but a source said it came when he took a big hit from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner in the first series of the Cowboys’ 30-23 win Oct. 12. Romo did not miss a snap in that game.

According to the NFL’s injury report policy, “All players with significant or noteworthy injuries must be listed on the report, even if the player takes all the reps in practice, and even if the team is certain that he will play in the upcoming game.”

A team is subject to a fine if the league finds it did not comply with its injury report rules. In 2009, the New York Jets were assessed $125,000 in fines for failing to put quarterback Brett Favre on the injury report after he revealed he played the final month of the 2008 season with a torn biceps tendon.

Romo has been listed on the injury report all season because of his back.

Romo has had this kind of rib injury before, suffering it in the 2008 season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. He played through a broken rib and punctured lung suffered in a Week 2 win against the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.

Romo’s health has been a talking point the entire season. He had back surgery last December to repair a herniated disk and missed the final game of the season. He was limited throughout the offseason and in training camp. After the second game of the regular season, he altered his practice schedule, sitting out of Wednesdays in full weeks of preparation to build his core strength and rehab.

On Oct. 27, against the Washington Redskins, he suffered two transverse process fractures that kept him out of one game, a Nov. 2 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

He said after the win over the Bears that the fractures are all but healed and also said the ribs were feeling a lot better, too.

“It’ll be nice when it’s just about the back [surgery] instead of all the other junk,” Romo said.

Romo wears extra protection for his ribs and has a longer-than-normal plate to protect his surgically repaired back. He has 10 days to prepare for the Cowboys’ next game, which is Dec. 14 at Lincoln Financial Field against the Eagles.

The post Romo tore rib cartilage appeared first on IdealCapper.

George spoke to reporters Friday afternoon for the first time since the injury. He said he is trying to stay positive and make the most of a tough situation.

“I plan on making a full recovery coming back from this,” George said at a news conference. “I’m taking this in a positive way. I get to sit back and watch the game — and just learn.”

The timeline for recovery is unknown, George said, but added that he can start some knee rehab as early as next week.

George was injured when he attempted to block a shot on a fast break and crashed into a basketball stanchion, snapping his leg. The accident raised questions about whether the support was too close to the court and generated debate about whether NBA stars are risking too much by representing the U.S.

George said he does not blame USA Basketball for the injury.

“Freak accidents happen,” he said. “USA Basketball doesn’t deserve any criticism from this.”

In fact, George said the 2016 Olympics are a possibility: “Absolutely, it’s in Brazil.”

George underwent surgery Aug. 2 and returned to Indianapolis on Aug. 5 to recover at home.

He said he knew it was not a good situation when he looked down at his leg.

“When I looked down and saw my bone sticking out, I knew it was bad,” George said.

The Pacers have not established a timetable for George’s return. But doctors who have not examined George say a full recovery from this kind of injury could take 12 to 18 months.

Larry Bird, the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, said earlier this week the physicians who are treating George have not ruled out a late-season return, though the Pacers won’t rush him back.

It is missing time with the Pacers that George feels bad about.

“I feel guilty about not being there for the start of (the) season,” he said. “To not be a part of that, it hurts. Something I have to live with.

“The last thing I will do is feel like I am not a part of this team because I’m out.”

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