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Larry Nance Jr. Undergoes MRI, Results Unclear

Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. underwent an MRI that did not provide a clear image of Nance's left knee injury

Larry Nance Jr. is known as one of the Los Angeles Lakers' hustle players, and on Tuesday night, he stripped the ball loose into the Charlotte Hornets' backcourt and chased it down.

At some point during the frantic hustle play, Nance realized that something was wrong. He had hopped on one leg at the end of the play but stood motionless waiting for trainer Marco Nunez to come over.

After a short conference, Metta World Peace and Thomas Robinson helped carry Nance into the visiting locker room. The initial diagnosis called for a left knee injury, and the x-rays at the arena came back negative. Knee injuries generally don't involve bone fractures, so that hardly put Nance in the clear. Several sources reported that Nance left the arena on crutches.

The team announced that Nance would undergo an MRI in Miami on Wednesday to further diagnose the injury. Late Wednesday afternoon, the team finally announced the results of the MRI. Nance had a bone bruise, but further results were inconclusive due to swelling.

The team announced Nance will undergo further tests on Sunday, when the team returns from its seven-game road trip.

"That's going to be a tough loss," Lakers coach Luke Walton told Spectrum Sportsnet cameras following Tuesday's loss in Charlotte. "Larry gives us a lot of versatility. He's probably our most intelligent player as far as reading defenses and being able to cover for people."

So far, the results of the initial x-ray and the initial MRI still provide hope that the injury could be less serious than Nance's reaction on the court led on. The former Wyoming Cowboy suffered a torn ACL back in his college days, but that injury occurred in his right knee.

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On Sunday, team physician Dr. David McAllister of UCLA Health will examine the forward and provide an update on Nance's injury and his future. Until then, Nance is officially out indefinitely.

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