Broken Hand to Sideline Duckworth for Playoffs

Kevin Duckworth probably will miss the rest of the playoffs, but Buck Williams should be able to play in Saturday’s series opener against San Antonio, Portland Trail Blazer team physician Robert Cook said Wednesday in Hillsboro, Ore.

The two biggest players in the Trail Blazers’ starting lineup were injured in Thursday night’s 106-92 victory at Dallas. The win gave Portland a 3-0 sweep of the Mavericks in the first-round series.

Duckworth, the starting center, broke his right hand in a third-quarter collision with James Donaldson.

“He possibly could have some limited function in two to three weeks, but that’s questionable,” Cook said.

Duckworth’s absence means 12-year NBA veteran Wayne Cooper, second-year pro Mark Bryant and rookie Cliff Robinson probably will take turns guarding San Antonio center David Robinson.

Williams was injured when he was struck in the right eye by Donaldson’s elbow.

Also Wednesday, Trail Blazer rookie Cliff Robinson issued a statement apologizing for his involvement in a melee that resulted in his arrest outside a Portland bar.

“I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and fans for the incident in which I was involved last Saturday night,” he said in a statement released by the team. “I sincerely regret that I didn’t use good judgment.”

Robinson, a second-round draft choice from Connecticut, was charged with three counts of fourth-degree assault and one count of disorderly conduct after he allegedly struck a female police officer.