It was the loud crack that downed Andrew Bogut and shook his new Cleveland Cavaliers teammates.
After just 58 seconds on the court against the Miami Heat on Monday, the Australian centre fractured his left leg in what will likely end his season.
"I heard it," Cavaliers' leader LeBron James said. "I heard a crack."
Early into the second quarter Bogut, in his first game with the NBA Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, ran out to the three point line to guard open Heat forward Okaro White.
White moved to his right and Bogut's left shin crashed into his knee.
X-rays found a fracture in Bogut's left tibia and he was taken to one of Ohio's top hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic.
James said he went to see Bogut in the locker room at halftime and unsurprisingly Bogut, who has battled serious injuries throughout his 11-year NBA career, was not in good spirits.
"What do you think his spirits were like?" James said.
"He played 58 seconds and you have an injury that could take you out for the rest of the season, possibly. There's not much you can say."
Bogut's injury sent a chill through the Cavaliers and the Quicken Loans Arena crowd.
The team never recovered and the Heat went on to an easy 106-98 victory.
"It sucks, man," Melbourne-born Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving said. "He was so excited to be here and he was getting out there.
"It kind of took the wind out of our sails a little bit because I think he knew right away."
Cavaliers forward-centre Tristan Thompson recalled the sickening feeling he felt as he helped the "obviously upset" Bogut back to the locker room.
"I've never done it before," Thompson said. "Unfortunately you never want to say you're part of that, but you just try and keep him in high spirits and tell him you've got his back."
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