Bucks C Bogut sidelined again

Jan 16, 2009 - 7:55 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut continues to be bothered by back spasms and will miss the team's three-game West Coast swing, which begins Friday in Sacramento.

After missing four straight games earlier his month with the same problem, the 7-footer returned to the lineup last weekend and had played in the Bucks' last three games.

Bogut netted 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in a 102-99 loss to Miami on Wednesday, but said after the game that his back was still giving him problems.

The Australian visited a back specialist Thursday and was advised to rest. He is not with the team for its West Coast trip, which will see the Bucks play the Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.

"It's going to need some more rest so there's no point in going on the trip because I wouldn't even play in the Portland game," Bogut told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "So there's no point in going out there.

"It's one of those things where I'll have to get treatment around the clock. A lot of rest. A lot of pills. And hopefully by mid- to late next week, I'll be back on the floor."

In three games since returning, Bogut had averaged 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds, recording his 16th and 17th double-double in the process. He's averaged a double-double in his 34 games this season with 11.8 points and 10.4 rebounds.

"It gets scary when sometimes you're just lying down and you start getting pain without even doing anything," Bogut said. "That's what gets scary."

Dan Gadzuric started in Bogut's absence earlier this month.