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Injury news is never pleasant, and the 2017-18 season outlook just got more unpleasant for the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks. Utah guard Dante Exum may miss the entire year with a shoulder injury and Dallas shooter Seth Curry is out indefinitely after a tibia fracture. Both teams were expected to vie for mid-position spots in the Western Conference, significant opponents for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Exum’s injury was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
Sources: Utah's Dante Exum could miss season with separated left shoulder. Doctors, Jazz officials conferring on recovery/timetable options.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 7, 2017
His follow-up article makes clear the extent of the injury and its effects.
An MRI revealed a separated shoulder and ligament damage, and Jazz officials and doctors are conferring Saturday to discuss a plan of action on recovery and rehabilitation, league sources said.
It's Exum's second significant injury of his young NBA career. He missed his second pro season after tearing his ACL in the summer of 2015 playing for his national team in Australia. After working his way back into condition a season ago, Exum had a solid showing in the Western Conference playoffs and had been impressive for the Jazz in the summer and preseason.
Meanwhile Marc Stein of the NY Times reports on Curry:
The preseason hits keep coming: Dallas just lost starter Seth Curry indefinitely after he was diagnosed with a stress reaction (left tibia)
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 7, 2017
Exum averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 assists per game for the Jazz during his rookie season in 2014-15. Curry averaged 12.8 points for the Mavericks last season, shooting 42.5% from the three-point arc.