Phoenix Suns power forward Anthony Tolliver ruled out for training camp scrimmage
Oct 3, 2014, 10:42 PM | Updated: Oct 4, 2014, 1:05 am
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Aside from the expected bumps and bruises, and of course the after-effects of practicing at 7,000-foot elevation, it has been an injury-free training camp for the Phoenix Suns.
That was until Friday, the final day of two-a-day workouts at Northern Arizona University.
Power forward Anthony Tolliver hurt his right hand.
“Just really random,” he said. “Miles (Plumlee) was boxing me out and my pinky got caught in his jersey and just kind of ripped all this webbing in-between my fingers.”
The cut, which split the skin between the ring and pinky finger, required three stitches, but no bones were broken.
In the offseason, center Alex Len suffered a similar type of injury, but his right pinky finger was fractured, ending his Las Vegas Summer League after one game. His finger was placed in a splint for four weeks.
Tolliver lucked out. His hand is only wrapped, which will keep him out of the end-of-camp scrimmage on Saturday.
“That sucks,” the six-year veteran said. “You go through the whole training camp to finally get on the court somewhat of a — it’s the realest game we’ve had in a long time, which would’ve been this scrimmage. But, it is what it is. I’m just going to, obviously, continue to work hard and stay in shape so that whenever my finger heals I’ll be good.”
There’s a possibility Tolliver will be able to play when the Suns host Flamengo (Brazil) in the first preseason game Wednesday at US Airways Center.
“They say ‘maybe.’ I think they said it usually takes a week for something like this to heal the way it needs to,” he said. “But, just kind of play it by ear. They said game-time decision on Wednesday to see if my finger heals well enough to play, I’ll play; if not, then I’ll probably just play the next one.”
The scrimmage, by the way, is open to the public. It tips off at noon inside the Walkup Skydome.
“Just want them to play hard. Play hard, play together,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “They’ll have a crowd watching them, so I don’t want them to say, ‘I’m going to do something’ — think they can turn into an individual play to show the people what you’re capable of doing. Just play the game right and execute our plays. We expect that every day.”
