Rudy Gay Could Sit Out Game vs. Lakers Due to Concussion

In order for Rudy Gay to suit up tonight against the visiting Lakers, he must go through a battery of tests to prove that he’s symptom-free from the concussion he suffered on Sunday. Per the Commercial Appeal: “Gay suffered a mild concussion during the Grizzlies’ win on Sunday when Denver Nuggets center Nene inadvertently struck him in the head with an elbow. The team confirmed Gay’s condition, and said his status is day-to-day. Gay will be re-evaluated again before the Griz host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight. But Gay will have to complete a series of tests before being allowed to return to game action. Under the terms of the NBA’s new protocol for concussions and other head injuries, Gay will have to satisfy a strict set of criteria. Any player diagnosed with a concussion will have to complete a series of physical exertion increases at each stage, from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact drills. A player must be symptom-free for 24 hours. If Gay doesn’t experience symptoms after each stage, the Griz must confer with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, who is the inaugural director of the NBA’s concussion program. Gay said Sunday night that he has never experienced a concussion in his basketball career until now.”