DETROIT — In a concerning turn of events, Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey suffered what looked to be a serious injury to his lower left leg during the final quarter of the team’s game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
The incident occurred when Orlando’s Cole Anthony lost his footing while chasing after the ball, crashing into Ivey’s stationary leg and causing him to fall to the court. The 22-year-old showed visible signs of pain as he clutched his shin, prompting the medical team to rush to his aid.
To shield the severity of the injury from onlookers, members of the training staff quickly raised towels while players from both the Pistons and Magic formed a protective circle around Ivey. After an extended delay, he was carefully placed on a stretcher and taken out of the arena, a towel draped over his leg to obscure the injury.
In the wake of the incident, players from both teams provided support, especially to Anthony, who appeared significantly affected by the collision.
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff addressed the situation after the game, emphasizing the team’s emotional bond. “It’s hard for all of us,” he stated following Detroit’s 105-96 win. “There’s no one better than J.I. and no one who cares more about this than he does. I’m proud of the guys for stepping up — they really care about him and didn’t want to let him down.”
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Ivey managed to lead the Pistons with an impressive 22 points in the game, demonstrating his value to the team even amidst the injury scare.
