Marcus Camby faces finger surgery; Abdur-Rahim repairs jaw
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-29 10:46

DENVER - The Denver Nuggets suffered another major setback Wednesday when they learned center Marcus Camby, the NBA's leading rebounder, will be out indefinitely with a broken right pinkie.

Camby will need surgery on the finger, after which a timeline for his return will be set.

He averages 16.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and is second in the league with 3.12 blocks a game. His injury adds to a long list for Denver, which has struggled to a 14-15 record.

Already, the Nuggets have lost power forward Nene for the season with a knee injury. Kenyon Martin has missed 10 games with a bad knee. Earl Boykins recently missed six games with a hamstring injury and Greg Buckner missed three with a strained groin.

Camby played only six minutes Tuesday night in a 108-106 loss to Philadelphia. The Nuggets play Seattle on Thursday.

Abdur-Rahim scheduled for jaw surgery

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim's mouth will be wired shut for six weeks after he undergoes surgery to repair his broken jaw.

Abdur-Rahim's jaw was broken by an elbow from Portland's Zach Randolph in the third quarter of the Kings' loss to the Trail Blazers on Monday night. He was scheduled for surgery Wednesday night, and will be re-evaluated after two weeks, with no timetable set for his return.

Abdur-Rahim signed a five-year contract with the Kings last summer, hoping to reach the playoffs for the first time in 10 NBA seasons. He is Sacramento's third-leading scorer with 16.5 points per game and is making a career-best 54.7 percent of his shots. He is averaging 6.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

But Abdur-Rahim has struggled to fit into the Kings' motion offense, and the club has struggled in almost every area since his arrival. The loss to Portland dropped last-place Sacramento to 10-17, though the Kings recovered with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday despite missing three of their top four scorers.

Peja Stojakovic sat out in Los Angeles for the second time in three games with a back injury, and Bonzi Wells is expected to be out for at least two more weeks with a strained muscle in his groin.