Grizzlies rookie Thabeet leaves game with broken jaw

From NBA.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Hasheem Thabeet, the second overall pick in the June draft, left Tuesday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a broken jaw.

The 7-foot-3 center from UConn was injured late in the first quarter during a battle under the Memphis basket. Replays appeared to show Thabeet's jaw colliding with forward Zach Randolph's head.

Thabeet had just entered the game a minute earlier.

Thabeet was playing in his seventh game of the season. He had scored four points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his previous six games, and also recorded six blocks.

Ouch! That's gotta hurt the team.

Not really, he was only playing (if you can call it that) seven minutes a game.

Well... he was making decent (if you can call it that) contributions prior to the accident.

The four points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks looks alright - until you realize that was across six games.

Well... he was making decent (if you can call it that) contributions prior to the accident.

41% shooting and 39% turnovers with 10.5 fouls per 36? Plus he wasn't even cracking ten rebounds per 36 despite being 7-3.

If only the Clippers would have stunned the world and taken him #1 over Blake. I miss Olowokandi.

I don't think it'll hurt the Grizzlies all that much, but I'd say Thabeet was in considerable pain when it happened. I don't envy that.

41% shooting and 39% turnovers with 10.5 fouls per 36? Plus he wasn't even cracking ten rebounds per 36 despite being 7-3.

Somehow I knew this would come

Welcome to the NBA Hasheem