On Tuesday (27th January 2009) night, the Charlotte Bobcats defeated Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 117-110. During the fourth quarter, when the balance time was 2:08, Andrew Bynum knocked Gerald Wallace, the forward of the Bobcats, to the floor when Wallace had scored 15 points.
Wallace’s condition
Some X-rays of Wallace were taken at Staples Center. As any distinct conclusion could not be reached at through these X-rays, the physicians of the Lakers team arranged a second examination. A CT scan was executed on Wallace in Los Angeles. It was found that he had a non-displaced fracture of the fifth rib and 30 to 40 percent of his left lung had collapsed. So, a chest tube was introduced in this lung to restore its complete function. It was decided that Wallace would be under observation in a hospital for the next 48 hours. So, he could not be with the team for Wednesday night’s game at Portland. Juwan Howard, the veteran forward, substituted Wallace against Portland.
Comments
B.J. Evans, the team spokesman, disclosed that it could not be predicted when Wallace would rejoin the team. Larry Brown, the coach of the Bobcats, remarked that he did not feel that the foul was malicious and also did not conclude that the NBA ought to take action against Bynum. Raymond Felton, the guard of the Bobcats, is of the opinion that Bynum committed a hard foul. However, Felton does not feel that Bynum was attempting to hurt a player. John Black, the spokesman of the Lakers, refused to comment on Bynum.