Hornets' Nic Batum out for Game 3 with left foot strain
Charlotte Hornets wing Nic Batum will miss Game 3 against the Miami Heat after an MRI revealed he suffered a left foot strain in the team's 115-103 loss on Wednesday night.
Batum's status for Game 4 will be reevaluated and updated at a later date.
Batum suffered the injury when he stepped on the foot of Heat rookie Justise Winslow in Game 2, rolling his left ankle in the process.
As the series heads to Time Warner Cable Arena for the first time in the Eastern Conference's 3-6 matchup, the Hornets will be without their 6-foot-8 playmaker who has helped unlock one of the league's most improved offenses. The soon-to-be free agent averaged 14.9 points on 54.6 percent true shooting to go along with 5.8 assists and 6.1 rebounds.
He scored 24 points in Game 1, but managed just nine before leaving with the injury in the second game.
Without Batum, coach Steve Clifford could rely on perimeter players Courtney Lee, Jeremy Lamb and Jeremy Lin for more minutes.
Miami leads the series 2-0.
