Most teams around the NBA currently are dealing with some level of disruption with key players sidelined, whether due to injuries or positive COVID testing results. The LA Clippers began the 2021-22 campaign without Kawhi Leonard and now will be without Paul George for the foreseeable future.
George was recently diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow and will be sidelined for the next three to four weeks before being re-evaluated by team doctors.
After playing against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, George felt pain in his right elbow that was enough to warrant a closer look. He experienced a sprained elbow earlier this month during a Dec. 6 matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers and was sidelined for two weeks as a result.
“It took some hits today, couple stingers,” George said after the Spurs matchup, via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow, not sure it will be sore or not.”
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George has played at a very high level this season—posting averages of 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.0 steals in 26 games. Next up in the scoring leaderboard for the Clippers includes Reggie Jackson (17.2 PPG), Marcus Marcus Sr. (13.8 PPG), and Luke Kennard (11.7 PPG).
Currently, the Clippers rank fifth in the Western Conference standings and trail the first-seed Golden State Warriors by 9.5 games. There is only 1.5 games separating the Clippers from the Denver Nuggets while teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves each are just two games back.
The Clippers will suffer substantially on offense without a legitimate primary or secondary scoring option to rely on to set the tone. As a result, it appears as though the team could begin to slide down the Western Conference standings with George potentially missing the next month.
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The defensive versatility that Paul George brings to the game is something the LA Clippers will be unable to replace, too. The dropoff in impact in specific areas alone will be substantial. Without Kawhi Leonard available to shoulder the load, it could get ugly and rather quickly.
