A breakout star in Detroit likely had his season cut short Wednesday due to a gruesome broken left fibula.
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey is expected to be out “at least most of the remainder of the season,” according to ESPN.
The third-year guard was enjoying the best season of his career when he charged after a long rebound with a little more than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Pistons’ 105-96 win over the Magic.
Magic guard Cole Anthony dove for the loose ball as Ivey ran in, but Anthony landed on his left leg, forcing him to fall to the ground in a heap of pain.
The game had to be stopped, and Ivey left the court on a stretcher.
Ivey’s leg was stabilized in an air cast while players surrounded and comforted the developing star guard as it became clear that this was a major injury.
Ivey, 22, is averaging 17.6 points per game this season, a slight increase from the 15.6 he averaged last year.
The most impressive improvement from Ivey has been 3-point percentage, moving from 33.6 percent to 40.9 percent this year.
“It’s tough on the whole group, to see him hurting like that is tough on us,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “He’s built for it, he’s going to shake back knowing him. He’s going to work his tail off and be better than ever when he gets back. It’s tough, for sure.”
The Pistons are an improving bunch, putting up a 15-18 record, good enough for the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Sportsbooks set the Pistons’ win total projection at 22.5 games this year, a figure they are on pace to easily clear.
Guard Cade Cunningham has also taken a leap forward as the Batman to Ivey’s Robin.
Cunningham is averaging 23.8 points, 9.7 assists and 6.8 rebounds.
