“Jazz’s Taylor Hendricks Suffers Severe Injury; Kyrie Irving and Will Hardy Reflect on Impact and Irving’s Talent”
Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks fell to the floor while running down the right side of the basket on Utah’s end of the court. Hendricks stumbled on his own, with no contact from others, causing his right leg to twist awkwardly and resulting in a fractured right fibula and a dislocated right ankle.
Spectators watched in shock as paramedics quickly came onto the court and escorted Hendricks away. After a 15-minute delay, play resumed, with the Mavericks holding a 64-59 lead.
“I placed a hand on his shoulder, but he was likely in shock,” Mavs guard Kyrie Irving said. “I’ve unfortunately seen several injuries like this during my time on the court. I’m just praying for him, his family, and hoping he’ll come back even stronger. Seeing such an injury affects an athlete’s mindset, but you still have to keep playing. We’re all feeling for him, and I’m praying he’s OK.”
Mavs center Dereck Lively II commented on Hendricks’ injury, saying, “It reminded me of Gordon Hayward’s situation. Prayers to Hendricks. No one deserves that, not even your biggest rival. Prayers to him and his family.”
Hayward, while playing his first game for Boston on October 17, 2017, suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He landed poorly after attempting an alley-oop pass from Irving, who was his teammate with the Celtics at the time.
HIGH PRAISE FOR IRVING: Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy believes Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving deserves more recognition. According to Hardy, Irving’s skill is among the best in NBA history.
“He’s far better than people acknowledge,” Hardy said before Monday’s game between the Mavs and Jazz. “We tend to focus on his spectacular plays, but his overall talent is remarkable.”
Hardy suggested that Irving’s shooting technique is so exceptional that he could teach a masterclass on it.