Wizards' John Wall has 5 fractures in left wrist and hand, no timetable for return

John Wall's "really bad" wrist sprain turned out to be much more serious than initially thought.

Following multiple examinations Wednesday, it was discovered Wall has five non-displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand. The Washington Wizards are consulting with specialists to determine a course of action and a potential timeline for his return.

Wall injured the wrist in the second quarter of Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks, when he fell after an awkward drive to the rim.

He was - incredibly - able to return to the game and finish with 18 points and 13 assists. He sounded confident about his Game 2 status, when it was believed he only suffered a sprain but ultimately sat out, opting to seek additional opinions. Wall admitted he wasn't able to do the things he normally did when he tried going through his pregame routine, and reportedly clashed with the team's medical staff over their initial diagnosis.

Losing Wall for any amount of time would be an enormous blow to a fun and surprisingly effective Wizards team. The Wizards had won five consecutive playoff games before Wall's injury but wilted in Game 2 against the Hawks without him.

Ramon Sessions started in his place and Garrett Temple saw extended run off the bench, but Sessions is an abhorrent defender whom the Hawks can take advantage of, while Temple is an afterthought on offense. Without Wall, Washington is without their best two-way player and the engine of their entire offense.

Wall averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 10 assists during the regular season and stepped up in five playoff games, averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and an obscene 12.6 assists.

While his status remains uncertain, it's difficult to see this diagnosis resulting in anything but missed time. Saturday's Game 3 will have given him six days off, and Game 7, should it be necessary, is more than a week later on May 18.

Wall's specific timetable depends a great deal on which five of the 27 bones in his hand and wrist he fractured, and experts told The Washington Post that it's incredibly unlikely he plays Saturday. There is a chance, according to one orthopedic surgeon, that Wall could play in a splint once the swelling diminishes enough, perhaps in a week, though full healing generally takes four-to-six weeks.

"There's no timetable for something like this is the best way I can put it," head coach Randy Wittman said Thursday. "We got to be prepared as a team to play without him. Our guys are doing that. Knowing John, if there's a slight chance to get in, he's holding out for that. That's the type of kid he is."

That is the type of player Wall is, as he's generally been an iron man early in his NBA career. Wall missed just three games this season and played complete slates in 2011-12 and 2013-14. Since entering the league in 2010, he ranks 14th in total minutes played, speaking further to the loss the Wizards are facing.

Washington has been playing well, but the chances of them upsetting the Hawks now appear slim, no matter what the veterans in the locker room may think.

Paul Pierce reportedly gathered the roster after Game 2's loss to tell teammates they remain the better team, and owner Ted Leonsis echoed that but added Wall was "absolutely the wrong guy" to lose.

"It's disheartening," Wittman said Thursday.

And of course it is. The Wizards are 10-40 in Wall's career when he sits. It's disappointing news for what could have been a very entertaining series, and it's unfortunate Wall may see his incredible season end on this note.