Ty Lawson injury: Nuggets PG day-to-day with plantar fascia tear

Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson has a plantar fascia tear in his right foot. The team lists him as day-to-day, but could it become a bigger issue?

by Steve von Horn

Mar 29, 2013, 5:00 PM UTC

USA TODAY Sports

Ty Lawson has a plantar fascia tear in his right heel and will at least miss the team's game against the Brooklyn Nets Friday, the Denver Nuggets announced. The team reports that Lawson will not need surgery to repair the tear, and his injury status is currently listed as day-to-day.

#Nuggets PG @tylawson3 has a plantar fascia tear in his right heel. No surgery required. Out tonight vs Brooklyn. Status day-to-day.
— Denver Nuggets (@denvernuggets) March 29, 2013

Last week Lawson' s injury was termed a "heel bruise." He missed three straight games before returning on Wednesday against the Spurs to score just two points on 1-of-7 shooting in 20 minutes of action. Now the injury has been upgraded to a tear, which sounds similar to the partially torn plantar fascia injury that kept Pau Gasol out for more than a month of action this season. Then again, James Johnson suffered a partially torn plantar fascia as a member of the Bulls in 2010 and missed just one game. Every body heals differently, and the situation with Lawson and the Nuggets is delicate and unique.

More: Denver Stiffs

The Nuggets are a high-octane offense that loves to speed ahead in transition and score before opposing defenses can get set. They are nearly on pace to break the record for points scored in the paint for a season, and that’s because Lawson can push the ball quickly ahead of the defense.

The 25-year-old speedster is the engine that makes Denver's offense go, and his 37-year-old backup, Andre Miller, isn't fit to replicate his style of play. If Lawson isn't at 100 percent, it should be easy to tell.

The Nuggets (49-24) are currently the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Without Lawson at full strength, they are far less dangerous to the other contending teams in the West. Denver will need to handle this situation carefully as the playoffs approach, and it will be interesting to see where this “day-to-day” status really takes us.