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Julius Randle on a happier day. Oliver Petalver / TheDailySportsHerald/Creative Commons
The Lakers' top draft pick this year, 19-year-old Julius Randle, broke his right tibia midway through the fourth quarter while driving to the basket in his first NBA game. He was lifted onto a stretcher by teammates, consoled by Kobe Bryant, then taken away. Randle was picked seventh in the recent draft and his basketball future is now clouded. The Lakers lost to the Rockets, 108-90, in a game that included a shouting exchange between Bryant and ex-Laker Dwight Howard. Bryant scored 19 in his first game since last season's injuries.
Magic Johnson and A.C. Green sat courtside for Byron Scott's first regular season game as Lakers coach. (Yasiel Puig also attended.) But the characterizations of the game, and of the pall over Staples Center tonight, are brutal from media folks on Twitter. Some examples:
The #Lakers number one draft pick Julius Randle leaves on a stretcher with a possible broken leg. Opening night is an absolute #disaster.
— Steve Mason (@VeniceMase) October 29, 2014It was as somber a scene on the court as you'd expect with the talented rookie, surrounded by his teammates, in pain as he was carted off.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 29, 2014Staples is clearing out with 5 minutes to play. The horrible game just got super depressing for the #lakers. R Julius Randle injured
— Rebecca Hall (@Rebecca_Sports) October 29, 2014Opening night. #Rockets 108-90. This place is #empty #sad #depressed. #WorstOpeningNightEver http://t.co/NW6AIbH3OL
— Steve Mason (@VeniceMase) October 29, 2014Laker fan walked over to me and summed it up: This is about as bad as opening day can get
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) October 29, 2014Byron Scott on Kobe-Dwight standoff: "They don't like each other. Simple as that."
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) October 29, 2014