An exciting game between the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets on Saturday was overshadowed by a scary sight. The Nuggets’ power forward Kenneth Faried suffered an apparent neck injury during a fight for a rebound late in the close game. Faried was pushed from behind by Warriors forward Mo Speights, before teammate Will Barton collided into him, with Barton’s elbow crashing into Faried’s neck and head area.
The video below shows the moment where the injury was suffered. It is somewhat gruesome in nature, although the collision itself was not as scary as the eventual moment where he was helped by team doctors.
Faried was later helped by teammates and trainers to sit on the floor while they kept his neck stable. Additionally, paramedics were called in as the game continued around them.
According to several NBA reporters, Faried was later put in a neck brace and stretchered off the court (after the game had already finished) and taken to a hospital:
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 Nuggets say injured forward Kenneth Faried was taken to the hospital on a stretcher for precautionary X-rays after hit to back of neck.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 3, 2016
This is quite clearly a very scary situation. Neck injuries in particular have terrible implications and could be career threatening, if not life threatening. Fortuantel, initial thoughts are that Faried’s is not quite that serious:
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
UPDATE: Faried has feeling in hands & feet, diagnosed w/ lower cervical vertebra issue. He will be held overnight for precautionary reasons.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 3, 2016
Hopefully, that is a sign of more good news. Our thoughts are with Kenneth Faried as he recovers from this injury.
