Knicks lose Bogdanovic for playoffs to foot surgery

NEW YORK – Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic will miss the remainder of the NBA playoffs for the New York Knicks, who announced Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) he will undergo left foot surgery.

The 35-year-old NBA veteran, obtained by the Knicks in an eight-player February trade with Detroit, will be re-evaluated in three months, the team announced.

Bogdanovic averaged 10.4 points a game in 29 games, all coming off the bench, for the Knicks this season.

He has averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game for New York in their first-round Eastern Conference best-of-seven playoff series against Philadelphia.

The Knicks carry a 3-1 lead into Tuesday's game five at New York. The series winner will face either Indiana or Milwaukee in the second round.

Bogdanovic, nagged by a left wrist injury, was hurt in the opening seconds of New York's game-four victory on Sunday when he dove for a loose ball and his left foot was tangled with 76ers forward Nicolas Batum, causing the injury.

The Knicks have already lost All-Star forward Julius Randle for the remainder of the season following right shoulder surgery.