ESP/USA/CAN – Rudy crashes to floor but appears to be okay

PORTLAND (NBA) – Spain’s Rudy Fernandez has been a huge hit as an NBA rookie with the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Monday, he received a huge hit while driving to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers but thankfully appears to be okay.

Fernandez, one of Spain’s most important players and arguably the MVP of their silver-medal run at last year’s Olympics in China, received a hard foul by the Los Angeles Lakers' Trevor Ariza while soaring towards the basket at the end of the third quarter.

The 23-year-old remained prone on the court for 10 minutes before being carted off while strapped to a stretcher, with his neck in a brace.

X-rays were negative, with the Blazers announcing that the Olympian had sustained a soft tissue injury to his upper right chest and side.

“It’s hard to watch your teammate lying down, and bringing out a stretcher,” Portland guard Brandon Roy said.

“That was a tough moment for all of us.”

Fernandez is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against Dallas.

The former DKV Joventut star, who recently took part in the dunking contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, was having an excellent game on Monday when Ariza committed the foul and was ejected from the game.

He had made all four of his shots, including both of his attempts from long range, and scored 11 points.

Portland won 111-94 over the Western Conference-leading Lakers (50-13) for the seventh consecutive time at the Rose Garden.

The Blazers (40-23) have now won 12 straight at home.

Fernandez is one of Europe's most popular players.

He has played for Spain's senior team every summer since the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and last year he was a big hit for the Spanish at the Beijing Games where the European giants captured a silver medal.

Unbelievable Wade does it again

The performance of the night was turned in by Team USA’s Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat.

Wade had 48 points, 12 assists and six rebounds as the Heat won at home in double overtime against the Chicago Bulls, 130-127.

The United States international buried a three-pointer at the end of regulation to force the first overtime and then hit another in one of the plays of the season to give Miami victory at the end.

Chicago had the ball just seconds from the end when Wade came up with one of his four steals, took several dribbles before shooting a three-pointer on the run and making it.

"You never know until it goes in,'' Wade said.

"But I was 99.9% sure that one was cash.''

Wade revealed later that his USA teammate LeBron James had sent him a text message to congratulate him on his game-winner.

Other results: New Orleans 79 Atlanta 89, Orland 94 Detroit 98, Washington 110 Minnesota 99, Houston 97 Denver 95.

FIBA