Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph has torn his right medial collateral ligament and is expected to miss 6–8 weeks, according to a report on the team’s website.
The injury came in a 104–64 blowout loss to Chicago on New Year’s Day.
Randolph is coming off perhaps his best season as a pro, leading the team in scoring (20.1 points per game) and rebounding (12.2), on the way to an upset of top-seeded San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. For his efforts, Randolph was selected to the All-NBA Third Team.
The injury is a big blow to Memphis, whose young team seems ready to make the leap to the upper-echelon of a western conference that’s up for grabs this season with the expected regression of Dallas, San Antonio, and the Lakers.
