The Atlanta Hawks will be without forwards Vit Krejci and Larry Nance Jr. for several weeks due to injuries sustained on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter of Monday’s victory over the host Orlando Magic.
Nance, 32, exited due to a right knee injury with 8:01 remaining in the game. He was taken to the Emory Sports Medical Complex in the Atlanta area for evaluation and imaging, which revealed a non-displaced fracture of his right medial femoral condyle, the team said on Wednesday. Nance will be re-evaluated in about six weeks.
Krejci, 24, sustained a lower back contusion with 7:43 left in the contest after being knocked to the floor following a dunk. The Hawks said that further evaluation and imaging confirmed a non-displaced lumbar fracture. Krejci will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
He had eight points in 18 minutes of Monday’s 112-106 victory. Krejci is averaging 6.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 20.8 minutes in 39 games (15 starts) this season.
The Washington Wizards made him a second-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and traded him the next day to Oklahoma City. Krejci averages 5.2 points with 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 18.4 minutes in 120 games (37 starts) for the Thunder (2021-22) and Hawks.
Nance collected eight points and three rebounds in 19 minutes of the Hawks’ victory over the Magic. He is averaging 8.5 points, 4-3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 19.3 minutes in 24 games (three starts) this season.
His career averages are 7.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 23.1 minutes in 546 games (137 starts) for the Los Angeles Lakers (2015-18), Cleveland Cavaliers (2018-21), Portland Trail Blazers (2021-22), New Orleans Pelicans (2022-24) and Hawks.
The Lakers selected Nance with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft out of Wyoming.
Source: espn.com