Detroit Pistons star guard Tim Hardaway Jr. needed to be taken off the court in a wheelchair after taking a series of hard hits to the head.

With just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter of the Pistons‘ 123-121 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday, center Bam Adebayo attempted to euro step past Hardaway but inadvertently elbowed him in the head. The 32-year-old promptly crumpled to the hardwood but managed to get up once no whistle for a foul was sounded.

Yet moments later, while attempting to take a charge, Hardaway once again fell down after coming into contact with Heats’ Tyler Herro as he drove to the basket. During his descent, the veteran player was additionally kneed in the back of the head by teammate Jalen Duren, who was jumping up to make a block.

Upon hitting the court for the second time, Hardaway’s head snapped back in a violent motion and bounced off the floor. He immediately grabbed the top of his head and writhed in pain as members of the training staff rushed to his aid.

FanDuel Sports Network’s cameras panned to his father – former NBA legend Tim Hardaway – who looked on from the stands with a concerned facial expression as his son was tended to. Following several agonizing moments on the ground, Hardaway was escorted off the court in a wheelchair while donning a towel over his head.

Taking to social media, droves of concerned fans sent Hardaway well wishes following the frightening incident. “Tim Hardaway Jr took a beating this possession. Hope he’s okay,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “That Tim Hardaway Jr injury is scary. Never want to see any kind of head injury.”

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Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded to the Pistons back in July

Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded to the Pistons back in July ( 

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A third said: “Prayers for Tim Hardaway Jr. gets knocked down with an elbow to the face, gets back up to sacrifice his body for the charge. That’s tough.”

Prior to exiting the game – which the Pistons won in overtime thanks to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s awful mistake – Hardaway recorded 11 points, one rebound and one assist on 3-of-6 shooting from the field. Entering play Tuesday, he was averaging 12.6 points, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 rebounds over 11 starts this season.

Back in July, the Mavericks traded Hardaway and three future second-round picks to the Pistons in exchange for Quentin Grimes. Addressing his exit from Dallas – where he spent the previous five and a half seasons – he wrote on Instagram: “The last 5 seasons will be something I will cherish forever. First and foremost I want to thank all of my teammates, love you all and we will always be brothers!

“To Dallas, THANK YOU for helping me become not just a better ball player, but helping me mature even more as a person! The city and organization embraced my family and I with open arms and even though things didn’t end the way I wanted them too, I am forever grateful. Will always be love, Thank you, God Bless.”