The Miami Heat will be without Derrick Jones Jr. for at least six weeks, but the news Monday was not as grim as initially thought after the emerging forward went down for an extended period during Sunday's victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The Heat released the following Monday: "An MRI on Derrick Jones Jr. revealed two right knee bone bruises. He will begin treatment immediately and be re-evaluated in six weeks."
Such a timetable would have Jones back for the final month of the season, missing at least 17 games, to possibly return for the final 17.
Jones was helped to the locker room early in the second quarter, seemingly unable to put weight on the knee.
"I mean, obviously, it looked like it could have been way worse," coach Erik Spoelstra said following Sunday's game, with the Heat off Monday in advance of Wednesday's game against the Chicago Bulls at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Jones was fouled on the play he was injured while driving in transition.
Jones is in the midst of a breakout season, having seized a role in the Heat's crowded rotation. He has been considered a leading candidate for the dunk contest during All-Star Weekend. He has appeared in 37 games (five starts), averaging 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 18.1 minutes, shooting 51 percent from the field.
Spoelstra said Sunday the hope was that Jones' 21-year-old youth plays in his favor.
"It was scary. My stomach dropped," Spoelstra said. "But he's smiling and joking in there. He's damn near a teenager, so hopefully he'll heal much differently than we would."
Said forward Kelly Olynyk, "It's really unfortunate that DJ went down. You never want to see that. You never wish that on anybody, especially your own teammate. He was playing really good basketball."
Upon seeing Jones' injury, sidelined Heat point guard Goran Dragic posted on Twitter, "Prayers up."
The National Basketball Players Association followed shortly with a similar post.
