UN Court

Warriors Guard Pat McCaw Diagnosed With Lumbar Spine Contusion

He will miss at least the next three games and undergo a follow-up exam on Thursday

The Warriors and guard Pat McCaw can breathe sighs of relief, as the damage from his frightening fall Saturday night in Sacramento was not as severe as feared.

McCaw underwent an X-ray and a CT scan Saturday night at UC Davis Medical Center, and both came back clear.

He underwent an MRI test Sunday morning at UC Davis and that, too, was clear. All preliminary reviews indicate there was no structural damage or neural disruption, according to the Warriors.

McCaw was diagnosed with a lumbar spine contusion and was released from the hospital Sunday afternoon. He will miss at least the next three games and undergo a follow-up exam on Thursday.

McCaw drove in for a dunk late in the third quarter against Kings and was clipped while airborne by Sacramento guard Vince Carter. McCaw lost balance while coming down and landed with a thud on his back, screaming and writhing in pain. He was on the floor for about 10 minutes before medical personnel placed him on a stretcher and transported him to UC Davis.

Players from both teams gathered to form a prayer circle while McCaw was being taken out of the arena, and Carter apologized profusely for what generally was considered inadvertent contact.

“He didn’t touch him much, but if you’re as high as you can jump, you lose your balance easier,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said late Saturday night. “I know that was tough on Vince.”

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