CLEVELAND — Golden State center Andrew Bogut will need six to eight weeks to recover from a left knee injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the NBA finals and almost certainly affecting his Olympic plans with his native Australia.

The Warriors are calling it an “impaction injury” that resulted in serious bone bruises. Bogut won’t need surgery.

Bogut was hurt Sunday night about 1:30 into the third quarter when he blocked a shot by J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers, then landed awkwardly.

“It’s bad news for our team,” Coach Steve Kerr said.

It’s a major blow to Golden State’s defensive scheme. Bogut blocked five shots in Game 2 of the finals, and the Warriors’ defensive numbers are typically much better when he’s on the floor.

Without Bogut, it’s likely that Draymond Green, who missed Game 5 of the finals because of a suspension for accruing too many flagrant foul points in the playoffs, could spend a significant amount of time in Game 6 at center. Green has played there regularly in the playoffs.

“It’s not like a loss where you say, ‘Aw, it doesn’t matter.’ It definitely matters,” Green said. “We’re going to miss him. But one thing we always talk about is our depth. So it’s an opportunity for someone else to step up. One guy goes down, another guy has to step up. I’m not sure what the rotations or none of that stuff will be, but whoever touches the floor, it’s a chance to step up.

“No one will be Bogut, but give to this team what you can give.”

CRAIG SAGER, the longtime sideline reporter, was added to ESPN’s broadcast team for Game 6 and will work a game in the NBA finals for the first time.

Sager, who has worked for Turner Sports for 34 years, has long been one of the league’s most revered personalities. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014. He said the invitation “is a great honor.”

GRIZZLIES: Guard Jordan Adams had cartilage transplanted into his right knee, the one he had surgery on last August after tearing the meniscus in an offseason workout.

Adams played two games before hurting cartilage in the same knee. He had surgery Jan. 12 before a lengthy rehab.

IF A GAME 7 is played Sunday night, this series would need 18 days to go from start to finish, and that would match the 1978 NBA finals for the longest championship round in major U.S. sports history.

Even the 1989 World Series, which was interrupted by an earthquake for more than a week, didn’t take that long.