At the end of the Denver Nuggets 111-108 overtime loss in Oakland to the Golden State Warriors, forward Kenneth Faried went down in the final minute with an apparent neck injury.
From the looks of it, Marreese Speights pushed Faried in the neck then Will Barton came down on Faried’s head with his left elbow.
Faried stumbled a bit then was helped to the baseline where he was attended to by Nuggets trainers and eventually taken off on a stretcher, accompanied by medical personnel. He did have feeling in his arms and legs.
I spoke to one medical expert who specializes in neck and spinal injuries who said if Faried fractured a vertebrate, he’s out for the remainder of the season. If not, then he could be back in a game or two, but further testing would ultimately determine the he would be able to play next. Before he went down, Faried registered 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes.
The Nuggets then announced that Faried was taken to the hospital for precautionary x-rays. He will also stay the night in Oakland and won’t travel with the team back to Denver.
Kenneth Faried was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. #Nuggets
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 3, 2016
Nuggets GM Tim Connelly headed to a local hospital with Kenneth Faried, who took a blow to the neck & will receive precautionary X-Rays.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 3, 2016
Nuggets head trainer Dan Shimensky said post game that Faried could have an injury to one of the lower cervical vertebrates in his neck, the fear is a fracture or crack in one of those vertebrates.
Nuggets trainer Dan Shimensky: Faried's lower cervical vertebrates in his neck is the potential injury area.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) 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 (@HarrisonWind) January 3, 2016
UPDATE 1/3 11:00 a.m.*****
Just got word Kenneth Faried is on his way back from Bay Area. Tests on neck/head all checked out. Good news so far. #nuggets
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) January 3, 2016
Faried posted a picture that shows he’s sitting upright and in good spirits. Still awaiting word on his official diagnosis.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAFbMFKveYL/
We’ll have updates as they become available.
