A scary scene unfolded at Oracle Arena on Saturday night when Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried had to be stretchered off the court after sustaining an inadvertent hit in overtime.
While jostling for rebounding position with Warriors big man Marreese Speights in the final moments of Denver’s 111-108 loss to Golden State, Faried was thrust forward into airborne teammate Will Barton and appeared to injure his neck/spine area.
WATCH: Nuggets' Kenneth Faried suffers apparent neck injury
https://t.co/QEVGBDn1CN pic.twitter.com/swn6w8tl2i
— CBS Sports NBA (@CBSSportsNBA) January 3, 2016
Here is another angle of the collision:
@JoeGoodmanJr https://t.co/9kl0F0sr1j
— John Ledesma (@JohnnyNBA) January 3, 2016
Faried, who initially appeared to be just dazed from the hit, eventually collapsed to the floor and had to be put in a neck brace and brought off on a stretcher, per Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Stretcher picking up injured Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried, who is wearing a neck brace. Lots of doctors around.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 3, 2016
Injured Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried taken away to the hospital on a stretcher long after end of Warriors game. pic.twitter.com/YnwMc9D2js
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 3, 2016
The good news is that Faried was able to give the crowd a thumbs up as he was being stretchered off. He reportedly had feeling in his extremities as well.
Kenneth Faried giving a thumbs up as he's wheeled off in a stretcher. A good sign!
https://t.co/V0xCCe05iF
— DTS Hoops (@dtshoops) January 3, 2016
Nuggets injured forward Kenneth Faried told medical personnel he felt better once he was placed on backboard & had feeling in hands & feet.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 3, 2016
The 26-year-old was then transported to a local hospital as a precaution, the team announced. Faried was also said to be accompanied by Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly.
Kenneth Faried was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons.
#Nuggets
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 3, 2016
Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly went to a local hospital with injured forward Kenneth Faried.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 3, 2016
Nuggets trainer Dan Shimensky relayed that Faried will spend the night in the hospital. The concern is that the former No. 22 overall pick may have suffered damage to the lower cervical vertebrates in his neck, per Harrison Wind of BSN Denver.
Nuggets trainer Dan Shimensky: Faried's lower cervical vertebrates in his neck is the potential injury area.
— Harrison Wind (@NBAWind) January 3, 2016
Shimensky: Faried will spend the night in the hospital. The fear is a fracture or crack in one of those vertebrates.
— Harrison Wind (@NBAWind) January 3, 2016
Faried is averaging 12.6 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game for Denver this year in his fifth NBA season.
This is an injury that obviously and unfortunately has the potential to be serious. Our thoughts and prayers are with Faried at this time.
Image via Deadspin
H/T CBS Sports
