Przybilla's knee buckles but Blazers win game

By The Associated Press Published: Dec 22, 2009 at 9:01 PM PDT Last Updated: Dec 23, 2009 at 11:41 AM PDT
Przybilla's knee buckles but Blazers win game »Play Video
Portland Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla (10) grabs his knee as he rolls on the ground after coming down on it in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, in Dallas. Przybilla left the game and did not return. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

DALLAS (AP) - Joel Przybilla of the Portland Trail Blazers sustained a ruptured right patella tendon and dislocated patella in the first quarter of Tuesday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Przybilla, who got the start, went up for a rebound and came down awkwardly on his right leg with 3:12 left in the opening quarter, falling to the ground in pain.

The Blazers did go on to win the game, their first road victory in Dallas in years.

The Trail Blazers, who began the game with 11 healthy players, announced in the third quarter that Przybilla would be out indefinitely.

Portland has already lost center Greg Oden for the season with a left knee injury.

Travis Outlaw (left foot), Nicolas Batum (right shoulder), Patrick Mills (right foot), and Rudy Fernandez (back pain) have all missed extensive time for Portland this season.

Even coach Nate McMillan hasn't been immune, sustaining a ruptured right Achilles' tendon on Dec. 7 that required surgery.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press)