Kemba Walker's fantastic season with the red-hot Boston Celtics will have to be cut short indefinitely as he suffered a nasty neck injury before halftime in their matchup against the Western Conference Denver Nuggets.
The All-Star point guard had to be stretchered out and early indications are already filtering out that he is dealing with a concussion-related injury.
The accident occurred late in the second quarter after colliding head first into Celtics teammate Semi Ojeleye's chest while attempting to go for a steal. The 6-foot guard immediately stumbled into the floor clutching his head, forcing head coach Brad Stevens to call a timeout.
Historically, neck injuries not only take a while to recover from (depending on severity) but is also subject to the NBA's concussion protocol that requires players to hurdle several caveats before they can officially return to action. So it's safe to say that Walker will be out for a long while.
Still, the starting point guard's return is the least of the Celtics worries as they are more concerned with his well-being and health as they await a more concrete prognosis of his injury if it's a long-term issue or just a temporary setback.
In 14 games with the Celtics, Walker is averaging 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 39.2-percent from three-point range. The former Charlotte Hornets star's blistering performance has helped the team to an 11-3 start, good for second in the East after the Milwaukee Bucks overtook them recently for the conference lead.