Last night, late in the 3rd Quarter, Dennis Smith Jr. rolled his ankle dribbling into the paint. Then he limped around for a few possessions and when play stopped Coach Carlisle pulled him from the game in which he did not return.
Preseason is tough across all sports. On one hand, despite the Summer League’s advancements, it’s the closest environment to simulate actual NBA basketball. On the other hand, Preseason exists as another opportunity for the unthinkable to occur. Just two days ago the Charlotte Hornets own Nic Batum sprained his left elbow in a game against the Boston Celtics and will miss up to 12 weeks.