When the Los Angeles Clippers announced on Christmas Day that Paul George would miss significant time with an elbow injury, the franchise hoped its All-Star forward could return by late January. With February drawing closer, they’ll be without him even longer.
Los Angeles decided in mid-January to keep George sidelined with the torn right ulnar collateral ligament still causing him problems. Even after a few weeks of more rest and rehabilitation, the latest injury update indicates he is not close to a return. Worse yet, he might not step foot on the court for the remainder of the season.
- Paul George stats: 24.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2 spg, 18.38 PER
Appearing on The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that season-ending surgery is a real option for George and there is a growing feeling it could happen.
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Los Angeles was already down one star, with Kawhi Leonard still recovering from a torn ACL. But things seemed to be trending in the right direction for the franchise. On Feb. 6, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Leonard is ahead of schedule and could return before the playoffs.
The Clippers have tried staying afloat since George’s absence, entering Tuesday holding the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. But with other playoff contenders expected to add more talent at the trade deadline, Los Angeles could slip down the NBA standings.
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