Ricky Rubio, who has matched his best scoring average since joining the NBA and arguably playing his best ball ever, is out with a torn ACL for the rest of the season.
The Cavaliers announced Wednesday that an MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health “revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Rubio will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season and his status will be updated as appropriate.”
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 29, 2021
The news is a huge blow to the Cavs, who are 20-14 and sit in the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Rubio injured his knee driving into the lane with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter of the Cavs’ 108-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday.
The guard immediately signaled for help and was assisted off the court by Kevin Love and Issac Okoro.
After the game, Love said Rubio was having such a great season and that it was tough to see his teammate go down.
“It was really hard for me. I could see the pain he was in when he went down, said Love. “Him and I have such a history, and I generally care for Ricky’s wellbeing.”
Love was with Rubio as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2012 when Rubio, a rookie, tore his ACL in his left knee the first time.
Reunited on the Cavs, the two old teammates have helped guide a young, talented, and surprisingly good Cleveland team.
“He’s been constantly a force for us whether it be off the bench or steppin up into the starting unit when his numbers called. Between Ricky, and myself we’ve tried to be a constant voice and a constant veteran presence on this team, and he’s been such a leader for us,” said Love.
Rubio is averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists for the Cavs so far this year; his 11th season in the league.