Parker broke the fourth metacarpal — the bone between the bottom knuckle and the wrist — near the end of the first half and did not return to the game. The injury apparently occurred during a scramble for the ball.
“He’s got a broken hand. He’ll be out six weeks,” the Spurs coach said. “He did it in the first half when he dove on the floor.”
The Spurs currently sit in the #7 playoff spot, one game ahead of the Blazers and 5.5 games ahead of the Grizzlies and Rockets. With just 22 games left to play, San Antonio should be safe. The Spurs have gone 5-5 in games that Parker has missed this season and George Hill has played very well in February and March (16-3-3, 46% shooting).
It used to be that the Spurs just needed to be healthy for the playoffs, but they haven’t gelled like they hoped they would this season. Parker’s return would put him back in mid-April, which coincides with the start of the playoffs. If everyone is healthy, they’ll be a tough out against the Jazz or the Nuggets as a #7 seed, but if they finish in the #8 spot, they’ll be in for a rough series against the Lakers.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
