WASHINGTON (AP) — The Wizards say an X-ray and an MRI on John Wall’s right pinkie finger revealed no breaks or tears.
The guard has been playing with pain in that finger and his left wrist and missed practice Friday. But Washington coach Scott Brooks expects Wall to be able to continue playing as long as the All-Star guard puts tape or a split on the pinkie finger.
Brooks said after practice Friday that everything “came back clean” on Wall, who could remain in the lineup when the Wizards host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. Despite the injuries, Wall had 10 assists in Washington’s loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.
Wall said his shot was affected “big time” by his injured pinkie and that he’d sit Saturday against the 76ers if it affects him again. He tried taking a few shots after practice Friday and is attempting to find a way to stabilize the finger.
Calling his pinkie and wrist swollen and sore, he said the injuries weren’t as bad as the one he dealt with during the Wizards’ playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks in 2015.
“The main problem is just my pinkie mostly, so if I can get that to just stay stable and it (doesn’t) affect my shot as much as it did the other night” it would be OK, Wall said. “It was frustrating knowing what I was going through, and trying to play a good game and help my team, that shots wasn’t falling.”
Wall is averaging a career-high 22.8 points and 10.3 assists this season.
Brooks realizes that Wall often plays through pain and is proud of the way the 26-year-old still performs at a high level.
“One thing I know about John, being around him for the six or seven months now, he is as tough as they come,” Brooks said. “He’s going to put himself out there, which is definitely something that I admire.”
NOTES: G Tomas Satoransky practiced after missing some time with the flu and could be available to face the Sixers. … F Andrew Nicholson, who has only played in one of Washington’s past six games is out of the rotation but “not forever,” Brooks said. Nicholson picked up three personal fouls in five minutes Jan. 6 against Minnesota and hasn’t played since.