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NBA report: Bucks forward Jabari Parker to miss rest of season after tearing ACL

Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) grimaces as he injures his left knee on a drive to the basket against Heat forward Luke Babbitt on Wednesday night.
(Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press)
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Milwaukee Bucks star Jabari Parker has sustained a season-ending left knee injury for the second time in three years.

Parker will need surgery after tearing the ACL during the third quarter of the Bucks’ 116-88 loss to Miami on Wednesday. The Bucks say the recovery and rehabilitation period will take about a year, meaning he will miss the beginning of next season.

“He tore his ACL again. He’ll have surgery here coming up,” Coach Jason Kidd said.

Parker was averaging a career-high 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds as one of the Bucks’ franchise cornerstones and the team’s second-leading scorer. Until Wednesday, he showed no signs that the knee was giving him trouble.

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Parker went down with 6:34 left in the third quarter after making minimal contact with a defender with his body on a drive to the lane. His left knee buckled.

An injury to the same ACL in December 2014 knocked Parker out of his rookie season after 25 games.

“It takes the spirit from you. Any time you see a kid like that go down,” center John Henson said. “I think he’s the most improved player in the NBA. Hopefully, the results are not as bad as it seemed with the injury and we go from there.”

The latest injury occurred on the same day that the Bucks were welcoming back guard Khris Middleton, who missed the first 50 games of the year after tearing his hamstring in training camp.

It’s another blow for what is considered an up-and-coming franchise. Parker, Middleton and All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo were supposed to be part of a young core that would lead the Bucks when the team moved into its new downtown arena in 2018.

The Bucks were already struggling even with a healthy Parker and Antetokounmpo. They are 2-10 since moving to two games above .500 on Jan. 10, falling to 11th in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Etc.

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Derrick Williams will get a chance to make an impact with the NBA champions. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, Williams signed a 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been looking for roster help as they defend their title. … Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon is day-to-day because of a bone bruise to his right foot. Coach Frank Vogel said an MRI exam showed no serious damage.

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