Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. was wheeled off the court Tuesday night after suffering multiple head injuries in their win over the Miami Heat.
Hard, according to NBA expert Chris HaynesHe received stitches after being hit on both faces and hitting the back of the head. An initial CT scan was negative, although further details of his injury are not yet known.
Midway through the third quarter of the NBA Cup game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Hardaway received an unintentional elbow from Heat star Bam Adebayo while driving down the street. Adebayo’s elbow hit Hardaway directly in the face, although no foul was called.
Hardaway quickly got up and tried to take advantage as Tyler Herro drove into the lane, but Hardaway’s head hit the court hard as he fell to the ground.
Hardaway stayed on the court for quite some time. Finally they took him off the court in a wheelchair and with a towel over his head. He didn’t come back.
Hardaway finished with 11 points and was 3 of 6 from the field in 19 minutes Tuesday night. He is averaging 12.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per game this season, his first with the Pistons after spending the last six with the Dallas Mavericks.
“I didn’t really get to see it when it happened live, but they said he’s fine and they’re just evaluating him,” said Tobias Harris, via Omari Sankofa, Detroit Free Press. “We’re praying for him and making sure he’s okay, because he’s a very important piece to our team.”
The Pistons cruised to a 123-121 overtime victory Tuesday thanks to a blunder by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who tried to call a timeout when he didn’t have one with less than two seconds left in overtime. That led to an incredible moment when cameras showed former NBA player and ESPN personality Jalen Rose, who was stunned.
The Pistons, who are 5-7 after the win, will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks.