MILWAUKEE (AP) - Nets forward Yi Jianlian will miss three to four weeks after breaking the pinkie finger on his right hand late in the third quarter in New Jersey's 104-102 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
Yi said he hurt himself playing defense when he reached for the ball and got his finger caught. He said he heard it pop after trying to take the ball from Michael Redd."I was trying to steal the ball. Real quick slap on the finger," Yi said. "It happens. (I will) just give it time and try and come back."
Yi tried to stay in the game immediately after he heard the pop on his hand, but when he came back down and attempted a jumper with 4:36 to play he missed it and said he felt tremendous pain.
"The last shot it felt like I shot my finger," said Yi, who already had a splint and a heavy tape job on the finger after the game.
He signaled to Nets coach Lawrence Frank that he needed to come out and went immediately to the locker room. He was replaced by Eduardo Najera.
Yi had been playing his best basketball recently, recording back-to-back games with at least 20 points before finishing Friday's game 6-of-12 from the field for 16 points.
He has averaged 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, a marked improvement from his rookie season in Milwaukee where he played 66 games, but injuries and fatigue set in late in the season.
In the offseason, he was traded to New Jersey along with Bobby Simmons for Richard Jefferson.
