Rudy Gay Out For Rest Of Season; Grizzlies’ Forward Needs Shoulder Surgery

Rudy Gay will miss the rest of the season and the playoffs due to a shoulder injury that now requires surgery to repair. Gay has been out five weeks, during which the Memphis Grizzlies have gone 8-6, treading water but maintaining a two-game lead on the Houston Rockets for the No. 8 seed in the West.

Memphis had hoped to have Gay back for the stretch run and a prospective first-round playoffs series against the Spurs, Lakers or Mavericks. Alas, Tony Allen and Sam Young will have to continue to pick up the slack to the best of their abilities, with Zach Randolph handling much of the scoring load.

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Rudy Gay separated his shoulder four weeks ago, leaving the Memphis Grizzlies without their No. 2 scorer and best wing player. The injury was to keep Gay out four weeks. Do some logic real quick, and, yes, Gay is due back right about now. But the Associated Press reports that an MRI on Gay’s shoulder revealed some healing, but not enough to allow the forward back onto the court. The Grizzlies have no timetable for his return.

The AP also reports that Gay is expected to miss at least two more weeks, but no source for the information is given. Gay has been out since the All-Star break. Since that point, the Grizzlies have gone 6-5, maintaining the team’s No. 8 position in the Western Conference but failing to makes it playoff bid more secure. Sam Young and Tony Allen have been called upon to play larger roles to mixed results.