© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Following a scary-looking chest injury on Saturday night, MRI results showed Warriors guard Patrick McCaw didn’t suffer any structural damage, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Shams Charania. Charania said the Warriors hope McCaw will be released from the hospital sometime Sunday.
Shortly after Charania’s report, the Warriors released a statement confirming that McCaw’s X-ray, CT scan, and MRI exams were all clear. The team diagnosed McCaw’s injury as a ‘lumbar spine contusion.’ He will follow up with a specialist on Thursday.
The news comes as a huge relief, considering the scene on Saturday night that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called “terrifying.” Kings forward Vince Carter undercut McCaw as he attempted a layup. He landed awkwardly on his back and writhed in apparent pain.
A contingent of Warriors players huddled around McCaw as he lay on the ground. Kerr stood next to a visibly distraught Carter, who received a Flagrant 1 on the play. After about 10 minutes, McCaw was escorted off the court on a stretcher.
Any result on Saturday night became secondary to McCaw’s injury. Kerr declined to comment about the actual game.
“It was really scary,” Kerr said after the game. “He was in a lot of pain, laying on his back…. That’s all we’re thinking about.”
Charania reported that McCaw’s current timetable is unknown. But the news that he didn’t endure any structural damage is very relieving, considering the chilling images of Saturday night.