Ryan Anderson undergoing tests in Boston hospital (1/4/14)

By: Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com, @Jim_Eichenhofer

New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson was diagnosed with a cervical stinger and underwent a series of tests Friday evening and Saturday morning in a Boston hospital, after being injured in Friday’s game against the Celtics at TD Garden. Anderson was taken from the court by stretcher following a collision with Boston forward Gerald Wallace. The Pelicans are now awaiting the results of those examinations, said Pelicans Coach Monty Williams.

According to the website Sportsinjuryalert.com, a cervical stinger is “a pinched nerve in (the) spine. It’s not an uncommon injury amongst athletes in high-contact sports. Generally, athletes who suffer a cervical stinger are allowed to play again after a short period of time.”

“There is testing that has to be done in a situation like that, when you’re dealing with your neck or your back, the spinal region,” Williams said to media in Indianapolis prior to Saturday’s game vs. the Pacers. “You’ve got to go through a number of tests. He had some of that done late last night and early this morning. A number of doctors have to look at the tests. He’s in good hands – we have a few of our people there in Boston with him.”

Williams asked for fans to pray for Anderson, who dealt with personal tragedy in 2013 when girlfriend Gia Allemand committed suicide. Anderson has since announced plans for a foundation in Allemand’s memory.

“We ask all of our fans – and people who aren’t our fans – to pray for him and his family,” Williams said. “He’s had a rough year. He’s a strong kid, but he’s still had a rough year. The first thing I always do (in an adverse situation) is pray. I get on my knees and just pray for him.”

While he was prone on the TD Garden floor, Anderson calmly spoke to teammates and Williams. The fourth-year head coach described the scene, as he spoke Saturday in Indiana.

“You’re thinking one of your own is on the floor, looking helpless,” Williams said. “He was talking and that was reassuring, but at the same time, you hate to see someone on their back like that. You pray, and you let (team trainer Jon Ishop) and the doctors do their thing. The Boston doctors are watching over him and our team doctors have been non-stop communicating with the specialist, trying to figure out the tests. They can’t do that in a couple hours. It takes a lot of time.”