Lakers’ Randle breaks leg in opener

Los Angeles Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle seriously injured his right leg in the fourth quarter of the team’s season-opening, 108-90 loss to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

According to the Lakers, the initial diagnosis was a fractured tibia. Randle was taken off the floor on a gurney. He will be evaluated further Wednesday.

The injury occurred as Randle was driving toward the net with the ball. His right leg gave out as he was defended by two Rockets.

Randle was the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft out the University of Kentucky. As a freshman, he helped the Wildcats reach the national championship game, averaging 15 points and 10.4 rebounds.

In his regular-season pro debut Tuesday, Randle came off the bench and scored two points in 14 minutes, hitting one of three shots.