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The Detroit Pistons escaped their game with a win against the Miami Heat, but they weren’t able to escape without injuries to two of their most important players.
Star center Andre Drummond crumpled to the floor in the first quarter after an elbow to the nose and did not return. Ish Smith, who recently returned from a right abductor tear, left after 99 seconds after feeling soreness in the same area.
Losing a starting center and the backup point guard who often closes games for the team before the buzzer sounded in the first quarter could be disaster.
Luckily, the team seems to have avoided the worst-case scenario. Drummond, who had surgery on his nose two years ago, does not appear to have suffered a major injury, but he will be re-evaluated today. Smith, meanwhile, was held out the rest of the game out of caution.
There is no word on whether they will be available for today’s game against the Sacramento Kings.