By Stavros Barbarousis / info@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos will have to continue competing without Thomas Walkup’s valuable contribution, as he is expected to be sidelined for four weeks.
After the Greek Cup, where he played only 4:36 minutes in the quarterfinals, he underwent a new round of tests since the earlier issue remained unresolved. Olympiacos, in agreement with the doctors who examined him, decided to follow a conservative treatment approach (rather than surgery) to allow for a gradual return to action.
The discomfort in his back initially started during the game against Bayern Munich on January 10, when he requested a substitution from Giorgos Bartzokas. He then began treatment and started feeling better, which allowed him to play normally in the derby against Panathinaikos ten days later.
Since then, however, the issue has persisted for the “red and white” guard, delaying his return. He is now expected to be back at the end of March, though this remains uncertain due to the nature of the injury and previous setbacks.
It is highly likely that he will miss another derby against Panathinaikos on March 14 at Piraeus, for the 29th round of the EuroLeague.