Pau Gasol out indefinitely after fracturing a bone in his hand

Pau Gasol is out indefinitely after fracturing the fourth metacarpal in his left hand during warmups on Thursday.

It’s an unlucky break for the 36-year-old Spurs big man, who is having a quality season in a smaller role. Despite averaging career lows in minutes (26.4) and points (11.7), Gasol is shooting 51 percent from the field, 46.5 percent from the three-point line, and rebounding nearly eight boards per game.

A fractured metacarpal is a common injury in the NBA, and recovery time usually varies based on whether the player has to undergo surgery. A few players have missed an entire season with a metacarpal injury, but others have returned between 28 and 57 days after the operation. If Gasol doesn’t need surgery, then his return could be less than four weeks or potentially more than eight. Here’s a good look at the injury and its recovery time.

Gasol’s absence will likely push Dewayne Dedmon into the starting rotation, but there’s a good chance LaMarcus Aldridge or even David Lee will shift over to center in a small ball lineup to soak up minutes.