Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge out indefinitely with heart ailment

WASHINGTON, USA – San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge has been benched indefinitely after suffering a minor heart arrhythmia, the NBA team announced on Saturday, March 11. 

Aldridge has averaged 17.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists a game for the Spurs, who at 50-14 own the second-best record in the NBA this season, trailing only the Golden State Warriors at 52-13.

“All parties have concluded that at the current time it is best for Aldridge to refrain from play until further tests and examinations are completed,” the Spurs said in a statement, without giving details of Aldridge’s irregular heartbeat episode.

In April of 2007, at the end of his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Aldridge missed the final 9 games of the season after being diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an abnormality that can cause a rapid heartbeat.

Aldridge, 31, underwent a procedure to fix the problem and in 2011 underwent the same procedure and missed time at the start of the 2011-12 campaign when the condition recurred.

Aldridge, a 5-time NBA All-Star, is in his second season with the Spurs after 9 seasons with the Trail Blazers.

Also ruled out for Saturday’s much-diminished showdown with Golden State were point guards Tony Parker, the Frenchman suffering from a stiff back, and Dejounte Murray, with tightness in the groin. The Spurs had already ruled out forward Kawhi Leonard due to a concussion.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he would rest starters Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson plus top reserve Andre Iguodala for the game in San Antonio. – Rappler.com