When the San Antonio Spurs scratched Pau Gasol from the lineup on Thursday, it seemed like just your average injury scratch and Gasol would return the next night. But it was later revealed Gasol broke the fourth metacarpal in his left hand.
The typical recovery for this surgery is four-to-six weeks, though the Spurs could choose to play it even more cautious with a key member of its lineup. This season, Gasol has averaged nearly 12 points and eight rebounds per game in roughly 26 minutes per game.
With Gasol's absence from the lineup, it means a significant boost in minutes for David Lee, who is averaging under 18 minutes per game this season with 6.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. Dewayne Dedmon, who averages 16 minutes per game, should also see an increase in minutes and could contribute blocks for fantasy owners that are in desperate need. LaMarcus Aldridge could see a few extra opportunities to score as well.