LOS ANGELES — The LA Clippers may have Paul George back from injury soon, but they will be without John Wall for at least two weeks.
The Clippers are out George (right hamstring), Marcus Morris Sr. (left knee contusion), Luke Kennard (right calf) and Wall (abdominal area) for Sunday morning’s game against the Houston Rockets. The team said George, Morris and Kennard are considered day-to-day.
Wall, however, will not be evaluated again for another two weeks after suffering an abdominal injury in the Clippers’ 115-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Wall felt something in his stomach after throwing down an explosive dunk in the fourth quarter.
“I haven’t jumped like that when somebody challenged me in three years, to be honest,” said Wall, who played in just 40 games over his previous three seasons. “… I think I just stretched it as far as I could when I choked it.”
George missed his fifth straight game after aggravating a right hamstring injury that previously kept him out of seven straight games earlier this season. Kennard missed his fourth straight game after aggravating a calf injury that previously cost him nine straight games earlier this season.
Clippers coach Ty Lue said he will turn to former starting point guard Reggie Jackson to fill the role of Wall’s backup point guard. Jackson was recently out of the rotation after Lue inserted Terrance Mann into the starting lineup on Jan. 6 against Minnesota.
This season, Wall is averaging 11.4 points, 5.2 assists and 40.7% shooting in 22.2 minutes per game.
“Kind of tried to find a rhythm,” Wall said of his injury, which came after matching his season-high 16 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes. “And then also [my] minute [restriction] moved up, so it’s definitely disappointing.”
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