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Miami, FL - Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks after suffering a broken bone in his right hand.
The team announced Jovic sustained the injury during Sunday’s 120-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 21-year-old forward fractured the second metacarpal in his right hand, with the diagnosis confirmed at halftime.
As a result, he did not play in Monday’s 98-86 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Following evaluations by Dr. Elizabeth Ann Ouellette, chief of hand surgery, and team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick, the team determined that Jovic will wear a splint and undergo another assessment in four weeks to determine his recovery progress.
Jovic has played a key role for the Heat this season, averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists over 46 games.
If he recovers within the projected timeline, the earliest he could return to action would be March 25, when Miami hosts the Golden State Warriors.
In his absence, the Heat will look to players such as Kyle Anderson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Haywood Highsmith to fill the void. Anderson contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 28 minutes during Monday’s game against Atlanta.
Currently sitting at ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 26-30 record, the Heat are five games behind the Detroit Pistons for the sixth seed, the final guaranteed playoff spot.
The team will host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday as they continue their push for postseason positioning.