Warriors' Andrew Bogut out indefinitely after plasma therapy

OAKLAND — Just as they have the past two seasons, the Golden State Warriors will have to get by without center Andrew Bogut for an undetermined amount of time.

The Warriors announced Thursday that Bogut is out indefinitely after undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy on his ailing right knee. The team said Bogut consulted with the team's medical staff and his personal physician from Australia before deciding on the treatment.

"We fully support Andrew in his decision to undergo the PRP treatment," Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in a statement. "Our number one concern is that Andrew is 100 percent healthy and we will continue to support him in any way we can to make that happen."

The 7-footer will miss his fifth straight game when the Warriors host Oklahoma City on Thursday night. He is averaging 7.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, three assists and 2.2 blocks and has played a key role in helping the Warriors get off to an NBA-best 21-3 start.

Bogut is the anchor of Golden State's smothering defense, though his seasons have often been derailed by injuries, including the past two years.

Last spring, a fractured rib kept him from playing in the first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He also missed 50 games recovering from left ankle surgery during the 2012-13 season, playing through pain — and playing well — when he returned for the Warriors' surprising run to the second round.

The Warriors originally said Bogut had tendinitis before listing it as knee chondromalacia and bone edema. The injury causes bone marrow to swell and absorb fluid and can be extremely painful.

Bogut said before Golden State's loss at Memphis on Tuesday night — which ended the team's franchise-record 16-game winning streak — that he hadn't felt any improvement since leaving in the first quarter against Minnesota on Dec. 8. He also had his knee drained last week.

In PRP therapy, blood is drawn and placed in a centrifuge that spins it to separate the platelet-rich plasma. The platelets, which release growth factors for tissue healing, are re-injected into the injured joints and muscles.

Golden State's Andre Iguodala underwent PRP treatment on his right knee in the offseason and said he came back stronger. Houston Rockets All-Star center Dwight Howard missed 11 games earlier this season after undergoing the procedure on his right knee.

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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP