DETROIT -- Ahead of their Sunday afternoon matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke about the status of veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
During Friday’s matchup the Dallas Mavericks, Hardaway appeared to roll his ankle before halftime. The former Michigan standout struggled to his feet and had difficulty walking off the court under his own power, missing the remainder of the game.
The Pistons went on to lose 123-117.
Hardaway was later seen wearing a boot on his right foot after the game. He is officially ruled out for the matchup against the Pelicans with a right ankle sprain per the NBA injury report.
As of now, the Pistons are unsure how long they will be without Hardaway in the lineup.
“Again, that is a medical staff question. Obviously, we talk and stay on the same page,” Bickerstaff told reporters just before Sunday’s tipoff. “We will always protect our guys and make sure that they’re ready to go when they come back. So, I can’t give you an exact day on that. But, I mean, again, we miss how ferocious he is. We miss how he is as a competitor.
“Obviously, his shot-making ability, his willingness to compete on the defensive end. I think that’s one of the things in his leadership style — he’s a pure competitor. You know what I mean? He’s willing to do whatever, and our guys love it. They love to see him fight, they love to see him talk (expletive). So, those are things that we’re definitely going to miss beyond his basketball stuff.”
Acquired by the Pistons last offseason in a trade with the Mavericks, Hardaway has proven to back up Bickerstaff’s claims of being a savvy veteran.
This season, Hardaway is averaging 10.3 points while shooting 36% from 3-point range. He’s also been a reliable free throw shooter, hitting 83.1%.
Above all, for a team that was hit with a bevy of injuries a season ago, Hardaway has been mostly healthy. Sunday’s game against the Pelicans will be only his fifth missed game this season.