Kukoc Could Miss the Games

Toni Kukoc’s broken left thumb may be a more serious injury than first thought and Croatia could lose him for the Olympics.

The Chicago Bulls forward sat out Thursday night’s 87-74 exhibition victory over Canada in Barre, Ontario. He also missed most of Tuesday night’s game against Canada.

“It is a terrible situation,” Croatia Coach Petar Skansi said Thursday, adding Kukoc could be out four weeks.

“We just do not know for sure,” Skansi said when asked if Kukoc would play in the Olympics which get under way July 19.

However, a team official who requested anonymity, said the 6-foot-11 swingman might be able to return in two weeks, which would make him available for the start of the quarterfinals.

“I wish I could tell you,” Kukoc said. “It’s sore right now, but I don’t know about next week.”

Kukoc, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the year last season, was sitting on the bench with a large splint on his left thumb, which is his shooting hand.

Kukoc was hurt in the first half of an 82-72 victory over Canada on Tuesday in Hamilton, when he jammed his thumb while trying to make a steal. He was taken for X-rays and indicated then he felt it wasn’t anything serious.

His loss would be a crippling blow to Croatia’s chances of repeating as Olympic silver medalists.

Croatia, Lithuania and Yugoslavia are expected to challenge for the silver and bronze medals behind the U.S. team. Croatia and Lithuania are in the same preliminary round pool and meet on July 20 in the men’s competition.

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Guard Ruthie Bolton is back with the U.S. women’s basketball team after being sidelined for a month because of a knee injury.

Bolton strained ligaments in her left knee during a June 7 exhibition game against Canada. She returned to practice this week when the team assembled at the Disney Institute in Orlando, Fla., to begin final preparations for the Games.

The former Auburn star will play in the team’s final exhibition Saturday night against Italy in Indianapolis.

Bolton leads the team with 78 three-point goals in 46 games and is shooting 38% from behind the arc.