The Los Angeles Lakers suffered their first major injury before the season even started when Nick Young tore a ligament in his thumb. He is expected to miss eight weeks because of the injury.
However, this injury had nothing to do with Young’s feet which is why Byron Scott still made Young practice on Saturday according to the LA Daily News’ Mark Medina:
When you hurt your hand, your feet are still okay and your legs are okay. He can still do all the stuff we can do conditioning wise. It doesn’t have anything to do with a basketball in his hand.
Despite suffering the injury, Young said that Scott used it as a teaching point:
He was telling me, ‘Slide my feet. Don’t reach in. That’s what happens when you reach in.
The Lakers were expecting big things out of Nick Young this season. Kobe Bryant said he was a really big part of this team while Byron Scott has stated that Young could win Sixth Man of the Year this season.
The injury obviously changes plans, but the one silver lining is that Young can stay in shape while he’s hurt and while some coaches may allow a player to sit out, Scott is making sure that Young still gets in all the necessary work possible.
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Young’s work ethic can’t be questioned and it is good to know that he will be in shape once his thumb is healed. Young is scheduled for surgery on Monday. Maybe Scott will let him have that day off.
[divide]INJURY: Lakers Nick Young Tears Ligament In Left Thumb