Andre Roberson injury update: Thunder guard to miss rest of the season

A day after New Orleans Pelicans (27-21) lost their star centre DeMarcus Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder (29-20) were dealt with a serious blow on Saturday (Sunday AEDT). Thunder have effectively lost Andre Roberson for the rest of the season after the defensive ace suffered a freak injury during the team's 121-108 away victory over the Detroit Pistons.

After the game, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Roberson suffered ruptured patellar tendon and will undergo a season-ending surgery in the near future. The 26-year-old shooting guard missed eight games earlier in the season due to patellar tendinitis in his left knee.

Billy Donovan, coach of the Thunder, acknowledged that the team will struggle to replace Roberson's hustle and defensive impact. "He's certainly a huge loss. Everyone's been able to see that since he's kinda come back to us and what he's been able to do defensively. And he's found a way to be, offensively, a really effective player for us."

With 4:33 left in the third quarter, Roberson attempted an alley-oop dunk as point guard Russell Westbrook lobbed the ball to him. However, Roberson slipped and fell on the court as his leg bent in an awkward direction. After landing on his back, Roberson slid off to the side of the court before being stretchered out of the arena. Roberson, selected to the All-Defensive team last year, was examined by trainers for several minutes as his left leg was placed in an air cast.

Veteran forward Carmelo Anthony said it was a heartbreaking moment for his team. "That's a tough moment, to see that, to be around that. It was like it happened in slow motion. My prayers are with Dre." According to ESPN Stats & Information, Oklahoma City is averaging 96.8 points per 100 possessions with Andre Roberson on the court and 107.7 points without him. Stay tuned for the latest Andre Roberson injury update.