Lauren Jackson limps off court with suspected Achilles injury as WNBL crowd record broken

Opals legend Lauren Jackson has been forced from the court barely a minute into the historic WNBL clash between the Southside Fliers and Sydney Flames at John Cain Arena.

Jackson, 41, limped to the sideline early in the contest with a lower leg injury, reappearing on the bench with crutches.

She will have scans on the injury on Sunday, with commentators naming it a suspected Achilles injury.

“I don’t feel great but it is what it is,” she told the Nine Network.

She then joked: “I’m on borrowed time, anyway.”

Jackson came into the game with a broken bone in her foot that she had carried since a December 8 match against Perth.

Her early exit would have been a huge disappointment to the 7,681 supporters in John Cain Arena, the biggest crowd to ever watch a WNBL match.

However, that crowd would not have been disappointed by the action on court, as the Flames won a thriller 68-67.

Scores were tied at 67-67 deep in the match, before Tiana Mangakahia scored a free throw to give the Flames a one-point lead with 4 seconds remaining.

Mangakahia scored a game-high 26 points, while Maddi Rocci led for the hosts with 19 points.

The Flames only managed to drain 66 per cent of their free throws compared to 95 per cent for the Fliers, but stood up when it counted.

The crowd breaks the long-standing record of 7,500 set in  the 1995 grand final between Adelaide Lightning and Melbourne Tigers.