Pistons PG Reggie Jackson will miss 6-8 weeks…
Pistons PG Reggie Jackson will miss 6-8 weeks after PRP injections on knee, thumb
Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson warms up before the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, April 24, 2016 in Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
By Macomb Daily |
PUBLISHED: October 10, 2016 at 5:20 p.m. | UPDATED: June 30, 2021 at 4:31 a.m.
AUBURN HILLS >> The Detroit Pistons will without their point guard until December.
Reggie Jackson had platelet rich plasma injections in New York on Monday to combat both the tendinitis in his left knee, as well as the ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his right thumb, and he will miss six to eight weeks.
According to coach Stan Van Gundy, the injections went as well as can be expected, and Jackson was anticipated to return to Michigan in time to attend Monday's preseason game against the Spurs.
"I don't think you can say how it went. They injected it and the stuff went in. I guess that's successful. I mean, I always laugh about medical procedures – I'm waiting for the first one where they don't come out and say it was successful surgery. Like, 'Nah, actually it didn't go well … We just … we lost him,'" Van Gundy joked at Mondays' morning shoot-around.
"Everybody has successful surgery. I guess our line will be that he had a successful procedure today in New York. I guess that'll be all determined down the road, how he feels and everything."
The coach is expecting a December return for the point guard.
Adding the treatment for the thumb was a bit more of a surprise.
"He's had that for a long time, and since it was bothering him, it was a really good thought to take a look at it. They did an MRI and he had a little tear in a ligament," Van Gundy said before Monday's game. "I don't think it was not severe enough for him to get it done and then have to sit out for six to eight weeks, but if he was going to sit out for six to eight weeks anyways, he might as well get it and feel better. That was the decision, and I think a good one."
Without Jackson, the Pistons will have to start the season with backup Ish Smith and either Lorenzo Brown or Ray McCallum (Birmingham Detroit Country Day/University of Detroit) manning the point.
"Yeah, it's going to take some time. And again, it's a little tough to evaluate all of that right now. We're just a couple weeks in. We've still got a couple weeks to go," Van Gundy said. "I'm happy with where we are, I'm happy with the work guys are putting in. I'm happy with our understanding with what we have in now, to be able to go out and execute it better, and things, is the key."
McCallum played 21 minutes in the Pistons' preseason-opening loss last week, but played well. Van Gundy said Brown would get those minutes Monday night.
The key for both will be playing good defense, taking care of the ball – not necessarily trying to replace Jackson's nearly 19 points per game from last season.
"Well, you certainly want everyone to play well defensively, but you gotta play well on offense, too. You've got to make good decisions, you've got to be able to organize a team, and you've got to be able to – at some level – to create shots. Your point guard's gotta be able to create shots. You certainly have to be able to take care of the ball and keep us organized. I thought Ray did a really good job of both of those, and I thought he did a pretty good job of creating shots," Van Gundy said Monday morning.
"I thought he (McCallum) played pretty well. I thought he played well. He plays with a very good energy level. He gets after it defensively. And I thought, especially in the first half, we got some pretty good execution with him. I didn't think he was as good in the second half on the offensive end, but in fairness, he was out there with an entirely different lineup in the second half. You know, you had guys out their for their first time, along with him, so it was tougher. Overall, I thought he did real well."
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