Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. is headed for surgery after breaking a bone in his right hand during Saturday’s win over Miami. The team hasn’t said how long he’ll be out – that’ll depend on how the surgery goes.
It’s tough timing for Nance, who turns 32 on New Year’s Day. He’s been playing really well off the bench since coming over from New Orleans in the Dejounte Murray trade this summer.
The numbers tell the story: 9.5 points per game, shooting an impressive 58.5% from the floor. He’s been absolutely lights out from three-point range too, hitting 52% – the best of his career.
“It’s definitely been difficult,” Nance told FanDuel TV’s Tabitha Turner-Wilkins recently about adjusting to his new role in Atlanta. “It has not been easy, and I’d be lying if I said it was.”
But he’s made the most of his chances. In 15 games this season, including two starts, he’s averaged 19.4 minutes while adding 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
The injury comes just as the Hawks’ backup center Onyeka Okongwu returned to action. Okongwu had missed five games with knee inflammation but bounced back strong on Sunday, dropping 15 points against Toronto.
Nance has been working hard to expand his game, especially his three-point shooting. It’s paying off – he’s also hitting a career-best 87.5% from the free throw line.
Over his 10-year NBA career, spanning 537 regular-season games, Nance has been Mr. Reliable. He’s averaged 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 54.2% from the field.
The Hawks got more bad news on the injury front: rookie guard Kobe Bufkin needs season-ending shoulder surgery. The 21-year-old has had a rough start to his NBA career, dealing with multiple injuries including a thumb fracture and toe sprain. He’s only managed to play in 17 games so far.
Bufkin’s surgery is scheduled for January 7 to fix what the team calls “instability” in his right shoulder – the same one he partially dislocated twice since October.
