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Los Angeles Clippers breathe sigh of relief over Paul George injury
A minor sprain
The Los Angeles Clippers are relieved that Paul George’s knee injury is not as bad as they initially thought. The All-Star guard suffered a sprained right knee in the final minutes of their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
Best-case scenario
After an MRI, it was confirmed that there was no major structural damage to George’s knee, which means he could be back in time for the first round of playoffs that begins on April 15. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said: “We got the best-case scenario as far as what we thought it could be.”
Available minutes
While George is out, Eric Gordon will be starting in his place. Reserve Bones Hyland also had the opportunity to shine, leading the bench with 16 points in his first game since March 3. The team is rallying together and ready to make the necessary adjustments to fill George’s role.
A superstar team
Kawhi Leonard showed up big time in their most recent game, hitting his first seven shots and finishing with 32 points against the Thunder. Russell Westbrook, who joined the Clippers last month after leaving the Lakers, has also been playing consistently well. The team is confident in their ability to continue performing at a high level despite George’s absence.
Familiar territory
This is not the first time the Clippers have had to play without one of their superstars. Leonard missed extensive time last season due to a torn right ACL, and George has missed significant chunks due to a torn ligament in his elbow and COVID-19. The team has experience in overcoming adversity, which they will use to motivate them in the upcoming games.
A rallying cry
With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Clippers are currently fifth in the Western Conference with a 39-35 record. They face New Orleans on Saturday and plan to come in with a great effort despite the absence of George. Westbrook said: “I got to be more aggressive and find ways to be effective on both ends.” The team will rely on each other even more during this time and use it as a rallying cry.
Credit: https://apnews.com/article/nba-clippers-paul-george-injury-b0d5e91971a68b5a970ae3f6c2c7933e
