We are at the start of the last quarter and on an offensive rebound from the Pistons, Jaden Ivey and Cole Anthony try to snatch the ball. Except that, during contact, the left leg of the first found itself under the weight of the second. The real-speed images do not clearly show what slow motion cruelly demonstrates for the Detroit player: his leg is bent.
The fullback is then pinned to the ground in pain when Cole Anthony is struck by emotion. A few moments later, he was evacuated on a stretcher. “It’s hard for everyone. It’s hard to see”, commented JB Bickerstaff.
Hard because, in addition, Jaden Ivey had the best season of his career (17.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4 assists on average) and even if we are still waiting to know the seriousness of his injury, the images leave little room to hope for a return in the coming weeks…
A prayer and a victory for him
“Seeing him get injured like this is hard for us. But he is built for that, knowing him, he will come back. He will work like crazy and will be even better when he comes back. But clearly, it hurts my heart”confirms Cade Cunningham, which indicates also that the Pistons have “said a prayer” for their teammate.
The Detroit players managed to overcome this big emotional moment to maintain their lead and win this match against Orlando. It's not nothing (it's their 15th victory of the season, one more than in 2023/24), even if the hardest part will begin to compensate for the absence of the full-back in the long term.
“The credit goes to the players. At the heart of this team, and this is what we have been trying to preach since the start of the season, there is solidarity,” underlines the coach. “If one of the players is injured or less well, we must not let him down and everyone else must rise to the occasion. There is the emotion, the human aspect of this moment, but the guys managed to stay together and conclude. »
| Jaden Ivey | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | DET | 74 | 31 | 41.6 | 34.3 | 74.7 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 16.3 |
| 2023-24 | DET | 77 | 29 | 42.9 | 33.6 | 74.9 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 15.4 |
| 2024-25 | DET | 29 | 30 | 45.3 | 39.2 | 73.7 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 17.4 |
| Total | 180 | 30 | 42.7 | 34.8 | 74.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 16.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
