Denver Nuggets forward Nene Hilario will be sidelined six weeks because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Nene, 25, was examined Thursday by hand specialist Dr. Carlton Clinkscale, who recommended surgery on Friday.
Nene, left, is shelved six weeks.
(Eric Gay/Associated Press)
He suffered the injury in Wednesday's 119-93 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Denver has dropped three games in a row and players are dropping like flies, with Nene, Chucky Atkins (groin), Anthony Carter (hand) and Michael Wilks (hamstring) shelved by injuries.
Moreover, Kenyon Martin is playing limited minutes and prohibited from playing back-to-backs as he slowly recovers from right knee surgery performed last Nov. 16.
Nene is a career 53 per cent shooter as a pro, but is averaging only 6.4 points on 45.5 per cent shooting from the floor this season, his sixth with the Nuggets.
He averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 26.8 minutes in 64 games last season.
Nene played only three minutes the previous season, suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Denver's 102-91 season-opening loss at San Antonio.
Even so, the Nuggets signed him to a six-year, $60-million US contract on July 20, 2006.
The Brazilian native has averaged 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 28.0 minutes in 282 NBA games (191 starts) since being drafted seventh overall in 2002 by New York.
The Knicks traded his negotiating rights with Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson to Denver for Antonio McDyess, Frank Williams and a second-round pick.
With files from the Associated Press
