It’s an enduring trend among professional sports organizations and their athletes (though they claim otherwise) that the higher the stakes, the lower the concern for individuals’ safety. The NBA fell into that trap this week when the Warriors’ Klay Thompson took a knee to the head during the fourth quarter of Game 5 against the Rockets.

In the locker room, Thompson was diagnosed with a laceration to his right ear (which required three stitches) and, according to the Warriors, underwent the league’s concussion protocol. He was cleared to play and returned to the game, though he stayed on the bench.

However, after the game, he began exhibiting several concussion symptoms, and his father said he had to be driven home and was throwing up that evening. He’s now undergoing the league’s post-concussion protocols, and we wish him a speedy recovery.

There is little doubt that Thompson did suffer a head injury during the game, so either the doctors evaluating him missed it (or, more disturbingly, let him return against their better judgment) or he never underwent any evaluation.

It’s possible that it was the former; the team followed the rules, and Thompson passed the evaluation without trouble. And if the incident was handled by the book, then the NBA needs to take a look at its policies to discover why the injury wasn’t detected.

But if it was the latter, then a much more overarching problem exists. When an athletic stage becomes so big that it overshadows the importance of athletes’ health, it’s time to reevaluate priorities. The long-term effects of mishandled head injuries are too harmful to risk, even for Game 5 of an NBA playoff series.

*Scientists have no conclusive evidence as to whether or how the reduction of g-forces during impacts reduces the number or degree of concussions and head injuries. GelDefender products provide supplemental padding as well as cooling and comfort benefits when used with helmets and caps. Participants in activities in which head impacts can occur should always use tested and approved helmets for protection. However, no helmet or supplemental padding can protect the user from all serious head or neck injuries that can result from impacts.