During a recent in-game competition at State Farm Arena, an Atlanta Hawks fan suffered a knee injury, prompting a wave of reactions from fans on social media.
The incident occurred while the fan participated in a tic-tac-toe-themed challenge during a timeout in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers. As he attempted a layup, he slipped and fell. Shortly after, he reached for his left knee in excruciating pain.
As seen in a video shared by Bleacher Report on Instagram, arena staff attended to the fan before taking him off the court on a stretcher. The atmosphere shifted from excitement to worry, as players clapped for the fan while he was being moved.
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Despite the unfortunate incident, reactions on social media were mixed. While some showed concern, others poked fun at the whole incident.
"He's a smart man," a comment on Instagram read. "Bro came in as a FAN and got injured. the NBA is cursed," said another.
"He tryna get that check," a follower posted. A user added, "Prayers."
"Mannn I hope he ain't come with a shorty. Imagine this their first date," a fan joked.
"From a lay up… to a stretcher is wild work," another reacted.
"And here I was at the game thinking it was an April Fools joke," one fan noted.
The incident also led to a discussion about safety during in-game competitions, with some fans calling for better precautions to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
As for the game, the Hawks ended up losing to the Blazers 127-113 despite Trae Young's 29-point, 15-assist effort.
Related: NBA Reacts to Trae Young's 'Best' Assist on Sunday
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 6:52 AM.