Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey suffered what appeared to be a severe injury to his left lower leg in the fourth quarter of a 105-96 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
Orlando’s Cole Anthony slipped and fell as he and Ivey went for the ball. Anthony’s momentum carried him into Ivey’s planted leg, knocking Ivey to the floor. The 22-year-old was in obvious distress as he grabbed for his shin, and Detroit’s medical staff quickly attended to him.
Members of the athletic training staff held up towels to block the crowd’s view of the injury and players from both teams formed a circle around Ivey. After a lengthy delay, he was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the arena with a towel covering the injury.
Players from both teams consoled Ivey and Anthony, who was noticeably shaken by the play.
“It is tough for all of us,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “There’s no better person or teammate than J.I. and no one cares more about this than he does. I give the guys credit for getting it done.
“They care about him and they didn’t want to let him down.”
Ivey led the Pistons with 22 points.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
