Already mired in a disappointing start to the 2013-2014 NBA regular season, the Brooklyn Nets will be missing the services of veteran forward Paul Pierce because of a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal in his right hand. The injury will likely to cause him to miss at least two weeks and at most, a month.

This is a blow for a team which has a 5-12 win-loss record—tied for 3rd worst in the lowly Eastern Conference and one of the worst in the entire league.

The Nets actually pulled off a surprise in their second game in the season beating the Miami Heat, 101-100 on the road. Paul Pierce had 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the Nets but both player and team struggled ever since.

After the Miami win, Brooklyn has lost 11 of 15 games since suffering a seven-game losing streak from November 16 to 29, 2013 and surprisingly, has settled for a split in their last four outings.

While the injury is not serious, the Nets need all the help they can get this season ranking 22nd in the NBA in scoring (95.8 PPG), 19th in rebounds (41.8 RPG), 23rd in assists (20.0 APG) and 25th in points allowed (102.4 OPPG).

Pierce is third in the team in scoring (12.5 PPG) and also contributes off the boards (4.9 RPG) and in distributing the ball (2.8 APG).

The Nets are already missing the services of small forward Andrei Kirilenko and starting point guard Deron Williams plus back-ups Jason Terry and Reggie Evans.