Magic coach Steve Clifford taken to hospital with illness during game against Timberwolves
Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford came down with an illness during the third quarter of a 132-118 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Friday night and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, the team announced.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Clifford was first examined by doctors at the Target Center and taken to the hospital to get “an additional precautionary look.”
He was diagnosed with dehydration and discharged from the hospital a few hours later, per Wojnarowski, and cleared to resume coaching the team.
Magic coach Steve Clifford was diagnosed with dehydration and discharged from a Minneapolis hospital. He has been cleared to resume coaching the team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 7, 2020
The 58-year-old is in his second season with the Magic. He’s had a few health issues in the past. Clifford had two stents put in his heart in 2013 and also missed more than a month during the 2017-18 season, when he was with the Charlotte Hornets, due to severe headaches.
Magic assistant Tyrone Corbin took Clifford’s place.
“[Clifford] just came over and said, ‘You’re going to have to take it,’ and I didn’t really know what it meant until I saw him walk off,” Corbin said, via the Orlando Sentinel. “It was kind of a shocker. But we’re praying he’s well.”
The Magic went on a 24-11 run to open the third quarter and cruised to the 14-point win, which snapped a three-game losing skid.
Malik Beasley led the Timberwolves with 29 points on the night while shooting 14-of-21 from the field. Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Markelle Fultz finished with 24 points.
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