Nets F Yi breaks right pinky finger, could miss a month

Jan 10, 2009 - 5:30 AM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- New Jersey Nets forward Yi Jianlian broke the fifth metacarpal bone on his right pinky finger in the third quarter of Friday's 104-102 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yi was playing his first game against the Bucks, who drafted him sixth overall in 2007 before dealing him to the Nets - along with Bobby Simmons - for Richard Jefferson.

The 6-11 forward from China scored 16 points in 25 minutes Friday and said after the game that he expects to be out for an extended period.

"I'll be out like three or four weeks," Yi said. "It happened, I'll just give it time and come back."

There was no official word from the team.