Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond has reportedly suffered a facial injury Friday night against the Miami Heat, forcing him to miss the rest of the contest, according to David Furones of the Sun Sentinel.
Andre Drummond will not return, per Pistons. Nasal injury, they're calling it.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) January 19, 2019
Drummond suffered the injury early in the game, and it took the Pistons over 30 minutes to make a conclusion that the center won't be able to return to the contest. He was left bleeding after Heat forward James Johnson inadvertently hit him in the face.
Before his exit, Drummond was only able to record three rebounds and a block with zero points in just seven minutes of action. Drummond entered the game as a double-double machine, averaging 16.7 points and 15.1 rebounds per contest. With Drummond leaving a gaping hole in Detroit's interior defense, the Heat are looking at wider driving lanes to exploit aside from a thinner Pistons frontline to counter Hassan Whiteside at the post.
If Drummond is going to miss any future games, the Pistons will likely start Zaza Pachulia at the center position. Otherwise, they would roll out a smaller starting unit with Blake Griffin at the No. 5 spot.
After dealing with the Heat, Detroit will enjoy a brief rest before hosting the Sacramento Kings Saturday night.
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