NBA: Kevin Love out for up to eight weeks with broken hand

Olympic gold medal winner Kevin Love will miss the start of the NBA season for Minnesota after suffering a fracture while working out.

Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Love

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love will miss the start of the regular basketball season after suffering a broken hand which will sideline him for up to eight weeks.

The two-time All-Star suffered a fracture of his third and fourth metacarpal in his shooting hand while working out, the Timberwolves said in a statement.

Minnesota are scheduled to play their first game of the 2012-13 National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season at home against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 2.

Love, who won Olympic gold in London with the United States basketball team earlier this year, suffered the injury after delivering a 24-point display in a preseason game against Maccabi Bazan Haifa on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old has established himself as one of the best power forwards in the NBA and averaged a team-high 26 points and 13.3 rebounds for Minnesota last season.

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