UPDATE: Orlando Magic Guard Vince Carter Suffers Sprained Left Shoulder

by Evan Dunlap on Jan 8, 2010 8:29 PM EST in News

Orlando Magic shooting guard Vince Carter, mired in the worst shooting slump of his career, left the Magic's game against the Washington Wizards on Friday night with an injury to his left shoulder.

With a little more than 4:30 remaining in the first half, Carter attempted to chase Wizards guard Randy Foye around an Andray Blatche screen. Carter ran into Blatche and instantly crumpled to the floor in pain. Foye missed the shot, and Orlando rebounded, leading to a transition three-pointer for Jason Williams. The Magic fouled the Wizards as soon as they could catch up with them in order to get Carter off the floor. J.J. Redick entered the game for Carter, who walked to the locker room accompanied by a member of the Magic's training staff.

The extent of his injury is not yet known, but the eyewitness account Twitter user BigGuy21 provided isn't pretty:

I'm close to the court. My guess is its actually a separation. It was dangling as they took him back

Tania Ganguli of the Orlando Sentinel, live-blogging from Orlando, couldn't gauge the extent of the injury:

Vince Carter grabbing his shoulder and grimacing. I wonder how serious this is. Sometimes Carter just needs a couple of days or hours to recover from dings.

A separated shoulder suffered on February 2nd prematurely ended Magic guard Jameer Nelson's season last year; he did not return until the NBA Finals in June, and was far from 100% healthy.

Carter started tonight's game off well, shooting 1-of-2 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line for 8 points. He was more aggressive in looking for his shot than he had been of late, and his lone field goal was an in-rhythm jumper from the right elbow extended. In short, he looked comfortable, and just about ready to snap out of his horrid slump. Carter is 7-of-37 from the field in his last 3 games.

UPDATE: From the Orlando Sentinel:

Vince Carter's diagnosis now lessened to a sprained left shoulder ... not the shooting shoulder, so he can still chuck.

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To Dwight and Rashard,

Quit tweeting and trying to get in movies, etc.

Dwight: Work on your post moves or fire Patrick Ewing cuz obviously all he taught you was a running hook that is not consistent. Work on your damn Fts and shove your phone up your ass.

Rashard: DUNK! Attack the rim. Play defense. Cut that damn beard.

Thanks for the time everyone, goodnight.

"Blue and white...ignite...BOOOM! - Dwight Howard

by magic12ball on Jan 8, 2010 9:43 PM EST reply actions

Relax. This is just a phase.

The Magic will get over it eventually.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Jan 8, 2010 10:12 PM EST up reply actions

That update by the Sentinel

I would laugh at the last part and its subtle diss/joke if I wasnt so depressed..

"Don't wait till im gone to say I was the best"-NaS

Certified Kristin Kreuk obsessive...

Still miss em: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvvgVn0gg1E

by Wasabi Steak on Jan 8, 2010 9:58 PM EST reply actions

at the game

I was at the game, and this did not look like a joke. it was reminiscent of wades injury a few years ago against the rockets, so if it is a sprain then the magic caught a lucky break. also rashard was absolutely pathetic tonight

by nickswarriors16 on Jan 8, 2010 10:41 PM EST reply actions