Fortunately, the very scary moment turned out to be just that – a moment.
Danny Granger's head cleared up while he was being examined at Methodist Hospital Tuesday night and he was cleared after a doctor's examination this afternoon to play in tonight's game against the Pistons in Conseco Fieldhouse.
"I got hit in the head, got dizzy and lost my equilibrium for a minute. I just took a shot to the head and kind of lost it for a second," Granger said of the incident in the final minute of the Pacers' 99-94 victory over Charlotte Tuesday. "I've had a concussion before but I've never lost focus the way I did that day. I was kind of in and out. My eyes were closed and it was a bad situation but I'm OK."
Granger had a concussion last season, leaving early in the fourth quarter of a 108-105 loss in Memphis on Dec. 26 after colliding with teammate Jarrett Jack. He did not miss a game, returning to score 34 points on Dec. 28 against New Orleans.
Tuesday night, Granger took a shot to the upper right cheek as he was battling to rebound his own missed shot, wobbled toward the bench and fell to his knees before reaching the chair.
After watching the video of the play, Granger understood the concern the incident caused among Pacers fans.
"I think it was more like being in a fight and you get hit real hard and you get knocked off," he said. "I think it was similar to that."
Of course, fans weren't the only ones with furrowed brows at the time.
"Any time you see somebody woozy and staggered and then come to the bench and sit on the floor, that's a concern," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "However, we're in the midst of the game and we have medical people that can deal with that. The uncomfortable part of that whole situation for me was that I couldn't give him more attention because I happened to be coaching a game that was unraveling a little bit."
Granger sat out the Pacers' 99-94 loss in Cleveland Wednesday and this morning's shootaround but left shortly thereafter for the doctor's office in hopes of gaining medical clearance.
"He seems to feel fine," said O'Brien.
And that's very good news for the Pacers.
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