The LA Clippers received the unfortunate news that their all-star player Paul George will miss extended time due to a torn ligament in his right elbow. This news adds more to the list of injuries the team has had to face with Serge Ibaka missing some time and Kawhi Leonard still progressing from a partially torn ACL suffered in last year's playoffs. Like many teams, the LA Clippers have had to also deal with players in the NBA's health and safety protocols.
With Paul George having to miss significant time, players such as Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris Sr., and Luke Kennard will have to step up.
Head coach Ty Lue will have to experiment with different lineups. One key player who will have to step up to the plate is Eric Bledsoe, a player they acquired over the offseason.
Details on the latest injury
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Christmas night the team will "re-evaluate him in 3-4 weeks " and also stated, "He's gonna be out certainly a significant amount of time." There is no exact timetable for his return because he previously sustained the injury and it seems it has only gotten worse.
Paul George was identified as having a torn collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury takes about a month to heal but could require surgery. The injury was first reported when the team played Portland on December 6 where the star missed the next five games with a sprained elbow.
It is noted this type of injury happens to baseball players where they later need Tommy John surgery.
Season outlook
The news is certainly a big blow for the LA Clippers as they have started to make some noise over the past year or so with a trip to the Western Conference Finals just last season, the first in the team's history.
The LA Clippers were able to reach the Conf Finals without the services of Kawhi Leonard for a part of the past series but ultimately lost to the Phoenix Suns.
The news possibly dooms the team's chances of reaching the playoffs in the Western Conference. Despite having some solid young players, the team put all their chips to acquire Paul George and add Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.
In reality, the team will not be able to do much this season without the services of PG, who has been having another stellar year. The LA Clippers might have to wait another year to have a chance at a championship with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the floor together.
The news is absolutely devastating as the team had a chance to secure a high playoff seed with the LA Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets struggling mightily. The top teams are the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.
Season stats
Before the all-star got injured, he was leading the team in scoring at a mark of 25 points, 5.5 assists, and two steals per game. When it comes to rebounds, he was second on the team with 7 per game.
PG13 was carrying most of the load without fellow all-star teammate Kawhi Leonard in the lineup.
Players like Reggie Jackson and sharpshooter Luke Kennard have made contributions but Paul George is the main star that gets everything rolling. The all-star caliber player was having yet another excellent season on both sides of the floor as a two-way wing.
Despite it not working out in OKC, Paul George was having another excellent couple of seasons with the Thunder and nearly reached the Conference Finals during his young career with the Indiana Pacers before being bested by the Miami Heat.
PG's previous injuries
As many recognize, Paul George came back from the brutal leg injury he sustained in 2014.
In fact, many doubted he could remain the same player after going through such a traumatic injury. However, PG has managed to have quite a career after the injury and remains one of the NBA's most prolific wing players.
PG also had to have surgery on both shoulders before officially signing with the team in 2019-20. The player has reached the Conference Finals since joining the team. Prior to that, they lost in the bubble to the Denver Nuggets despite being up 3-1 and lost last year to the Phoenix Suns in the Conference Finals.
The LA Clippers can only hope he heals from such as injury and can return to the lineup. Although, the team has no chance of beating teams in the playoffs without him and Kawhi Leonard for the year. The LA Clippers are looking to secure a championship after making the moves to sign the two wing players years ago.
