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The Nets confirmed reports Friday that the team and Spencer Dinwiddie are evaluating what’s the best course of action —surgery or playing through pain— after revealing the Nets point guard has torn ligaments in his right thumb.
UPDATE: Spencer Dinwiddie will miss tonight’s game due to torn ligaments in his right thumb. The team is consulting with doctors to determine the best course of action going forward. Further updates will be provided as available.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 25, 2019
Kenny Atkinson said the injury is not recent, but has worsened recently.
Atkinson said #Dinwiddie injured himself two months ago and it got tweaked and has gotten progressively worse.
— Greg Logan (@GregLogan1) January 25, 2019
The coach added that the Nets and Dinwiddie’s decision is not about if he will need surgery but rather when.
Atkinson says Dinwiddie will need surgery at one point. #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) January 25, 2019
Kenny Atkinson says Spencer Dinwiddie and his family, along with the team doctors, will decide when is best to have surgery, but reiterates that he WILL need surgery.#Nets @NetsDaily
— Bryan Fonseca (@BryanFonsecaNY) January 25, 2019
Shams Charania, speaking on Stadium, a sports video service, earlier Friday said that it’s possible that the Nets point guard could avoid surgery and “play through the injury.”
“There is some confidence that he might be able to play through the injury, that it’s a pain tolerance issue and that he hopes to play through it and avoid having surgery,” said Charania, who appeared on Stadium, which is associated with The Athletic, where his reporting appears.
Our NBA insider @ShamsCharania provides the latest on the injury to #Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/WU9BJSSAD1
— Stadium (@WatchStadium) January 25, 2019
Dinwiddie will see other specialists before he and the Nets make a decision, Charania added. If he does need surgery, he could be out “an extended period”, perhaps four to six weeks.
Similarly, Greg Logan of Newsday said the process is likely to take some time.
Well-placed NBA source tells @NewsdaySports that diagnosis of @SDinwiddie_25 might take a few days. Likely no resolution on Friday. Obviously, Nets are holding out hope Dinwiddie might avoid surgery. To be determined.
— Greg Logan (@GregLogan1) January 25, 2019
The Nets had not said much on the injury, other than declaring him “questionable” for Friday night’s game with the Knicks and tweeting, “Spencer Dinwiddie is being evaluated for a right thumb injury. More information will be provided once the diagnosis has been completed.”
Atkinson said that Dinwiddie’s lost minutes will be taken, at least initially, by Shabazz Napier,
Kenny Atkinson considers himself a Shabazz Napier proponent, thinks the third-string guard can step up in Dinwiddie’s absence. #nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) January 25, 2019
On Thursday, both Atkinson and Dinwiddie himself said no one should jump to conclusions.
Atkinson told Mad Dog Unleashed early Thursday evening that reports of Dinwiddie being out were “hasty” and that everything is “to be determined”.
And just before 8:30 p.m., Dinwiddie seemed to give WFAN host and Nets fan Evan Roberts some hope things aren’t that bad.
That’s real love but shouldn’t be necessary https://t.co/fkAIbeznbk
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) January 25, 2019
Charania had reported Thursday that Dinwiddie was considering surgery after Dinwiddie’s former teammate, Caron Butler, tweeted out the initial news about the possibility of surgery.