NBA: Greg Oden to miss the rest of the season with knee surgery

The Portland Trail Blazers announced Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) via press release that center Greg Oden will miss the rest of the season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee once more.    "Initially, Greg was undergoing a procedure similar to the one he had a couple of weeks ago to have debris cleared from his right knee," Trail Blazers acting general manager Chad Buchanan said in the release. "However, once the doctors were inside Greg's left knee, they unfortunately found articular surface damage and determined microfracture was necessary."   The injury represents the latest setback for the former number one overall draft pick who has played just 82 games since being selected in the 2007 NBA Draft out of Ohio State.   He missed the entirety of his first season due to microfracture surgery on his right knee, making his NBA debut a year later.   Further injuries limited his playing time on the court, and in November of 2010, the Trail Blazers announced that Oden would need microfracture surgery once more, this time on his left knee.   Despite those setbacks, the team opted to pick up his $8.9 million qualifying offer during the 2011 off-season, only to have both sides restructure the deal after it was revealed that Oden suffered an undisclosed setback during his rehabilitation.   The 24-year-old Oden has undergone a total of five knee injuries.   "This is not the news we were hoping for Greg or the organization," Trail Blazers President Larry Miller added in the release. "It's hard to put into words the heartbreak for everyone involved, but especially for Greg. He's a young man who has experienced a great number of physical challenges in his playing career and today is yet another significant setback for him. We have a lot of empathy for Greg and his family during this difficult time." - AMD, GMA News