guard Patrick McCaw reportedly has regained feeling in his leg after he took a frightening fall when undercut by Vince Carter under the basket Saturday night.
Shock, fear and anger dominated the moments after the flagrant-one foul, with Warriors players taking a few moments to collect themselves. Coach Steve Kerr was furious in the immediate aftermath of the play that left McCaw writhing on the floor.
Kerr was cursing in Carter’s direction and told officials, “(Expletive). I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at Vince. He knows better. (Expletive).”
McCaw suffered what the Warriors said is a lumbar spine contusion when he was undercut by Carter on a baseline layup in the third quarter and landed awkwardly on his back. McCaw was stretchered off the court, his leg initially numb. X-rays, an MRI and other tests at UC-Davis Medical Center showed no structural damage, the Warriors announced Sunday afternoon, adding that he could be released from the hospital later in the day. He is expected to miss at least three games.
“It’s terrifying,” Kerr told reporters after the Warriors’ 112-96 victory over the Kings in Sacramento. “That’s all we’re thinking about is if he’s OK.”
Kerr’s initial anger subsided and he put an arm on Carter’s back as they watched McCaw receive medical attention on the court.
After the game, Carter went over to the Warriors’ bench to talk to players and coaches.
“He’s a young guy,” Carter said. “He has a bright future. I don’t play the game that way. To see a young guy laying down there. It’s an unfortunate situation. … Regardless of how it happened, the accident, all of the things that they were telling me. You still want to see him OK.”
By the time the game was over, Warriors players said they believed the play was not dirty. “I know Vince’s spirit and his heart. I don’t believe it was intentional at all,” said. “It looked like he was just caught in the middle of the play and wanted to move out of the way, but Pat was coming so fast. It was just an unfortunate play. Nobody in our locker room thinks Vince did that on purpose.”
McCaw, 22, is in his second season after being selected out of UNLV in the second round of the 2016 NBA draft by the . He is averaging 4.0 points and 1.4 assists per game this season.
