Anadolu Efes Istanbul will be without veteran backup point guard Dogus Balbay through the middle of the season due to injury, the club announced on Monday. Balbay (1.85 meters, 28 years old) hurt his lumbar vertebrae in a domestic game over the weekend. Team doctors have determined that the player will need eight weeks of physical therapy before he can return to action. Balbay, in his seventh EuroLeague season, all with Efes, is a defensive specialist who was averaging 14 minutes, 1.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals for the team in seven games this season. He ranks sixth in steals per minute among all EuroLeague players with 2.67 prorated to 40 minutes.