Paul George Out 2-3 Weeks

Los Angeles Clippers were dealt a devastating blow when Paul George announced he would be out two to three weeks due to an injury to his right knee. If George does not recover fully, this setback could seriously hinder their playoff hopes.

On Wednesday, the team started fifth place in the Western Conference with a 38-35 record. They could face Phoenix in the opening round of the playoffs which begin April 9.

Injury

Paul George, an All-Star guard, suffered a sprained right knee during Tuesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and will be out for two weeks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. With nine games left in the regular season and potentially no playoff appearance for George in 2019, Los Angeles could suffer a major setback in their championship hopes.

George suffered his injury in the final minute of the fourth quarter, when he collided with Thunder guard Luguentz Dort while competing for a rebound. He landed awkwardly and bent backward, staying on the floor for several minutes before being helped off by team medical personnel.

The Clippers have improved to 38-35 and currently sit fifth in the Western Conference, one game behind Phoenix for fourth seed and 1.5 games ahead of Oklahoma City in their season series. On Thursday they return home for a rematch against the Thunder - a team they could potentially face off against in the opening round of playoffs.

Batum expressed his regret at George's injury, yet was optimistic about their depth. Backup guard Norm Powell, who missed eight games earlier in the season due to a shoulder issue, is expected to return soon.

Additionally, backup forward Robert Covington may see some action in place of the All-Star wing. And Eric Gordon could potentially move into the starting lineup if Leonard is unavailable, which has been the case lately with Batum and Leonard both struggling with injuries.

On Tuesday night, George was a key factor for the Clippers in spite of their loss. He finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, throwing down two highlight dunks as they gained control back in the third quarter before Gilgeous-Alexander scored six final points from three-point range to seal the victory.

He made a crucial pass to Nicolas Batum that set up an incredible transition layup that helped the Clippers secure a 91-91 tie at halftime. George had contributed significantly to their success over that stretch, going plus-15 in 35 minutes with George on the floor.

Timetable

Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George will be out of action for at least the next two weeks after suffering a right knee sprain during Tuesday night's 108-101 loss to Oklahoma City Thunder. George exited the game with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter when he was fouled by Luguentz Dort and required assistance walking back to his locker room.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, George will be reevaluated in two to three weeks and likely miss the remaining nine games for the Clippers this season. It's a major setback for their season as they sit fifth place in the Western Conference with a 38-35 record.

Though the Clippers have won four straight games, it is a troubling situation for fans. George has been instrumental in helping the team return to winning ways; he's averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists during this stretch but other players must step up in his absence.

Though it remains uncertain if George will return in time for the playoffs, he should still be able to contribute significant minutes. Terance Mann, Eric Gordon and Bones Hyland would likely all see extended minutes if George is forced out due to injury.

Despite the injury, the Clippers remain in a strong position to make the playoffs. They are fifth in the Western Conference and should face Phoenix in the opening round of the playoffs, which begins April 9.

In addition to George, other key members of the Clippers have been sidelined with injuries this season. Kawhi Leonard has missed 23 games while shooting guard Norm Powell has been sidelined since injuring his left shoulder on March 2.

Even without George, the Clippers remain on a four-game winning streak. Now it's just a matter of whether their star players can stay healthy again.

George hopes his injury will heal quickly and he's back for the playoffs, but it could be a long road back for the All-Star forward. The team faces an arduous schedule ahead of them with difficult roster combinations; therefore, they must rely on other stars like Batum, Gordon and Leonard to help them prevail.

Expected return

Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers will likely miss at least the next two weeks due to a sprained right knee, the team announced Wednesday. While this timeline means he likely won't play another game during the regular season, George could potentially return in the playoffs once his condition is assessed again.

George's injury comes as a huge setback for the Clippers, who are in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 38-35 record. Already out of key rotation player Norman Powell (shoulder), George is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season for Los Angeles.

Due to a shortage of key players, the Clippers have been forced to play with an extensive rotation in George's absence. Eric Gordon would likely start and they could expand their lineups by adding Robert Covington as another wing defender and Bones Hyland as another shot creator.

The Clippers are in a strong position to make the playoffs, but they would need to navigate through the Play-In tournament in order to do so. Teams in seventh through 12th are all within two games of them, making it difficult for any other team to catch them for a place in West.

Losing George is a huge blow for their chances of grabbing one of the top six spots in the West and making the postseason. Even if they do make it, Leonard would likely struggle to lead this team through all four rounds without George.

That is especially the case given how well George and Leonard have performed in the playoffs in each of their previous three seasons, including a second-round series win against Utah and an eventual loss to Phoenix in the conference finals. Unfortunately, Leonard has been injured or out of the lineup at some point during each postseason matchup.

George has been in the league for more than 10 years, yet he has never suffered a serious injury such as this. The only time he couldn't finish a game was in 2014 while playing for the United States national team due to a tibia-fibula fracture.

Impact

On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered the loss of one of their key players: Paul George. He suffered a sprained right knee while losing to Oklahoma City Thunder and is expected to be sidelined for at least 2-3 weeks.

The injury is a significant setback for the Clippers, who have already missed their best player Kawhi Leonard this season due to ACL reconstruction surgery. At 38-35 and fifth in the Western Conference, Los Angeles will be looking to secure a top-six spot before the playoffs start.

In 2014, George suffered an awkward landing against a basket stanchion during a scrimmage with Team USA that fractured both his tibia and fibula. Fortunately, he recovered in time to begin the 2015-16 NBA season, averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game across 56 contests.

He then returned to the NBA, spending several seasons with the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder before joining the Clippers this year. While his on-court play wasn't quite what it once was before his injury, his ability to contribute off the bench has been a major factor in their success this season.

On Wednesday morning, the Clippers are one game behind the Phoenix Suns in fifth place in the Western Conference. That isn't a bad situation to be in, but they still need to work hard if they hope to secure a top-six spot before the postseason starts.

That's an important note, as George had been averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists before his injury. If the injury isn't as bad as expected and George can return to his usual level of play, then he could be the difference-maker for the Clippers this season.

The Clippers are already short on depth at the power forward position with Leonard and Westbrook both out, so losing George this season would make their task that much tougher. It's possible he may need more time than doctors anticipate; therefore, monitoring his progress closely is important to stay ahead of any potential injuries.