Pelicans' Gordon refractures finger in loss to Jazz

In just his fourth game back after missing nearly six weeks with a broken right ring finger, New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Eric Gordon refractured the finger in the second quarter Saturday against the Utah Jazz.

The injury came on what looked like an innocuous play, with Gordon reaching to poke the ball away from Jazz center Rudy Gobert. Instead, he seemed to jam his finger against Gobert's wrist, and knew immediately something was wrong.

(Courtesy: FOX)

The most galling part is that Gordon had been playing well since returning, averaging 22.7 points while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from 3-point range in his first three games back. He had seven points on 3-of-4 shooting before being forced from the game, which New Orleans ultimately lost, 106-94.

"It's really unfortunate, because he worked so hard to get back," Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said after the game. "I thought he was playing really good basketball."

The perpetually injured 27-year-old hasn't played more than 64 games in a season since his rookie year in 2008-09.