Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao undergoes Achilles surgery
Cleveland Cavaliers center Andersen Varejao underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair his torn left Achilles, the team announced.
Varejao is out for the season after suffering the injury during Tuesday night's victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was seen leaving Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on crutches and with his left leg in an air cast.
No prognosis has been given for his return.
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Varejao was fifth on the Cavs in scoring (9.8 points per game) and third in rebounding (6.5 per game). That scoring total was nearly 1.5 points above his 2013-14 average of 8.4 per game, but Varejao has missed more than 160 games over the past four seasons due to injuries. He signed a three-year, $30 million extension in October.
The Cavaliers entered the season with weighty expectations after acquiring LeBron James and Kevin Love in the offseason, but have opened the season 17-11 for fifth in the Eastern Conference entering Friday.
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After losing to the Heat in his return to Miami on Christmas Day, James told reporters that the Cavaliers are "not that good right now."
"We’ve won some really good games, we’ve lost some games, but we’re not that good right now."
The Cavaliers play the Magic in Orlando Friday night before hosting the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
- Mike Fiammetta
