YI JIANLIAN sprained his left knee in an NBA game Wednesday.

Yi played only five minutes and 40 seconds before suffering the injury 3:03 minutes into the second quarter when struck on the outside of the knee while battling for a Milwaukee rebound in the Bucks’ 110-109 victory over the Wizards in Washington, D.C.

“Someone was chipping in. They hit my knee and it twisted a little bit,” Yi said through a translator. “Then I felt a little pop and I tried to run on it and I felt pain. I just can’t put a lot of pressure on it.”

An MRI exam later will provide more details of the injury.

Yi said he has never been hurt in the knee before but the 20-year-old from Shenzhen was optimistic when asked if Chinese fans could rest easily about his ability to play in the Olympics in four months.

“I doubt it’s really that serious,” Yi said. “But what I have to do is wait until the doctor gives his report.”

Yi was sidelined for six games last month by a right wrist sprain and a left ankle sprain.

(SD-Agencies)