Magic head coach Steve Clifford left the team’s bench during the third quarter of Friday’s 132-118 win over the Timberwolves after experiencing dizziness, per ESPN. Clifford underwent preliminary tests at Target Center before he was evaluated and later released from Hennepin County Medical Center.
The Magic announced that Clifford was diagnosed with dehydration and has been cleared to resume his coaching duties. Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin filled in for Clifford following his early departure.
As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted (Twitter link), Clifford had two stents placed in his heart in 2013, but there’s no indication the episode was heart-related.
“It was really crazy,” Orlanda guard Markelle Fultz said after seeing Clifford leave. “At first. I thought he was just going to use the bathroom. I seen him kind of walk off, but when I came out they told me he wasn’t feeling well.”
Luckily, it appears Clifford dodged something serious and should be back on the Magic bench sooner rather than later. At 28-35, Orlando occupies the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are back in action Sunday night against the Rockets, so presumably Clifford will be back on the sidelines for that contest.
sorry to hear this, but I think Corbin filled in for Clifford, not himself…
link to orlandopinstripedpost.com
Dehydration, easily remedied.
Glad to hear he is OK. Someone does need to tell him to calm down a bit. I think there was a bad call at the end of a game with the Knicks and he went ballistic. Needed to be restrained by his Coaches. A man of his age and medical history needs to control that. Either that or his coaching career or worse might be over.
Damn coronavirus
Hahaha