Charlotte Hornets veteran forward Nicolas Batum injured the middle finger of his left hand — which is the one that was fractured in their season opener.
Batum hyper-extended the said finger, although X-rays didn't reveal a new break.
The @hornets say Nic Batum hyper-extended the finger he previously fractured. No evidence on the X-ray of a new break.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) December 3, 2019
Nic Batum just told me he cracked the middle finger of his left hand that was fractured in the season-opener.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) December 3, 2019
In their 109-104 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday, Batum left in the second quarter. The Frenchman finished with four points and two rebounds in 11 minutes.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets forward Nic Batum left in the 2Q with left hand discomfort and is questionable to return for the second half #AllFly
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) December 3, 2019
Batum has played just 11 games this season. He's averaging 3.6 points (a career-low), 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 22.4 minutes of play. His numbers do not exactly commensurate with the hefty contract he signed in 2016 worth $120 million over five years. But for teammate Marvin Williams, Batum brings a “steadiness” to their team.
“On both ends he has always brought a calm and a steadiness to our team, as long as he has been here,” Williams said, per the Charlotte Observer. “He is so reliable at making plays other guys just can’t make.
“He’s the most versatile guy that we have. You add that to his incredible intelligence, and that’s a great combination.”
Hornets head coach James Borrego echoed Williams' sentiments, noting that Batum aids the team through defense and rebounding — things that don't usually show in the stat sheet.
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