The Detroit Pistons escaped their game with a win against the Miami Heat, but they weren’t able to escape without injuries to two of their most important players.
Star center Andre Drummond crumpled to the floor in the first quarter after an elbow to the nose and did not return. Ish Smith, who recently returned from a right abductor tear, left after 99 seconds after feeling soreness in the same area.
Losing a starting center and the backup point guard who often closes games for the team before the buzzer sounded in the first quarter could be disaster.