Nuggets’ Bones Hyland misses shootaround, listed as questionable due to finger sprain

NEW ORLEANS — Several minutes into the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Oklahoma City, Bones Hyland got off the bench, walked the baseline, and headed for a tunnel that led to the underbelly of Ball Arena.

By the time Hyland was halfway across the baseline, a Nuggets staffer jogged after him.

Hyland had been subbed out moments earlier, having finished the night with zero points and three assists in 11 minutes of work. The Nuggets provided no injury update during the game, but acting head coach David Adelman was asked about Hyland’s status after the game.

“Had some discomfort,” Adelman said. “I had told the training staff he wasn’t going back in the game, so he went in the back and got some treatment.”

At that point, Adelman said he wasn’t sure what the injury was. When asked specifically about his sprained finger, which had him questionable for the game in the first place, Adelman said it could’ve been that. Hyland was, again, listed as questionable on the injury report prior to Tuesday’s game in New Orleans, though he wasn’t at shootaround on Tuesday morning.

Hyland’s been mired in a shooting slump for the past six games, averaging just five points on 27% shooting from the field.

Footnotes: Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. wasn’t at shootaround, either, and won’t be available for Tuesday’s game. Porter’s brother, Coban, was arrested early Sunday morning for his involvement in a fatal car crash. … Coach Michael Malone flew with the team on Monday to New Orleans and was expected to coach in Tuesday night’s game. He missed the past four games while out to due health-and-safety protocols.

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