Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard is out with what has been determined to be an injury to his buttocks muscle.
Howard, 32, received a pain-relieving injection for what was initially considered an issue with his back.
No word on when Dwight Howard will return, but #Wizards are prepared for life without him https://t.co/5IUr5sXn9w
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) October 9, 2018
The big fella has yet to run with his new teammates since signing in July, and his status for the start of the regular season remains up in the air.
Per the WaPo:
Since late September, the Wizards had publicly described Howard’s injury as back soreness. On Monday, however, Howard visited a hip specialist in New York. It was determined that the tightness Howard has been experiencing was because of his piriformis muscle putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. The muscle is located within the buttock and such an injury can affect the lower body and movement, as well as cause discomfort after periods of sitting. Howard felt soreness following the team’s flight to New York this past weekend, according to Coach Scott Brooks.
Before the Knicks game, Brooks said it’s possible Howard will not make his debut in the regular-season opener against the Miami Heat if he does not play in the team’s final two exhibition games. The Wizards have not offered a timetable for Howard beyond Brooks saying he will be considered “day-to-day.”
“I don’t think so right now,” [John] Wall responded when asked if there’s cause for concern in the locker room. “I think when you get to the regular season and [Howard’s injury] gets real bad, that’s tough for us, but he’s been working out and taking the next step as he can. That’s all we can do is sit back and wait to see what happens after that.”
