OKLAHOMA CITY -- New Orleans Hornets backup guard
Bobby Jackson has five cracked ribs -- not one as first thought -- stemming
from an injury in a November game.
Jackson
A CT scan Tuesday revealed the additional injuries, and the team
said his status remains day to day.
X-rays taken after Jackson was injured Nov. 28 against Toronto
revealed one cracked rib. But Jackson had continued discomfort
after returning last week to score seven points in 10 minutes
against Detroit, and the Hornets did more digging.
"The slight cracks are very difficult sometimes to see on an
X-ray," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. "It doesn't show
up until the healing process is underway. The calcium being
re-formed shows up on the X-ray."
Bower said the good news is that the CT scan "eliminates the
possibility of an injury to something other than his ribs." The
Hornets had thought Jackson might have aggravated his back while
compensating for the rib injury.
Jackson, who won the NBA's Sixth Man Award in 2003, has averaged
10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 16 games since signing with the
Hornets as a free agent in the offseason.
Bower said Jackson did no further damage by attempting to return
last week, and his recovery is going as expected.
"The limiting factor is his ability to deal with the pain and
function effectively," Bower said.
Earlier this season, guard Peja Stojakovic was diagnosed with
back spasms but further tests determined he needed a disc fragment
removed from his lower back. He may not return until March.
"We will always listen to what the bodies of our athletes are
telling us," Bower said.
In addition to Jackson and Stojakovic, the Hornets are also
without starters Chris Paul (sprained right ankle) and David West
(right elbow surgery). They have lost 19 of their last 23 games.
"Wins are coming hard right now," Bower said. "We still have
a lot of hope for this season and think that the final couple
months of the year are going to be something special."
Also Tuesday, the Hornets sent second-round pick Marcus Vinicius
to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Developmental League. Vinicius, who
is from Brazil, had played in only eight games and was averaging
1.4 points.
Bower said he expects Vinicius to play six games with the 66ers
before returning to the Hornets on Jan. 22.