Detroit Pistons forward Kelly Olynyk out at least 6 weeks due to knee sprain

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Detroit Pistons power forward Kelly Olynyk will be out at least six weeks because of a sprained left knee, the team announced Thursday.

Olynyk suffered the knee injury during the Pistons' 112-104 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. The veteran big man limped off the court in the fourth quarter of that matchup.

The Pistons said in a statement that Olynyk underwent additional testing, which revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain. The team said he will be re-evaluated by medical personnel in six weeks.

Olynyk was providing valuable minutes off the bench for the Pistons to begin the 2021-22 season. In 10 games (one start), he was averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds.

The 30-year-old Olynyk, a first-round draft pick in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga, is in his first season with Detroit. He has averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds across 580 career games (168 starts) with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Rockets and Pistons.

The Pistons (2-8) currently sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Detroit is scheduled to play the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-5) on Friday.