Health continues to be the biggest issue for the Los Angeles Clippers, and the situation worsened with Monday’s news. Derrick Jones Jr. is expected to miss at least six weeks with a sprained MCL. The injury occurred Sunday during a loss to the Boston Celtics when Jones fell to the floor in the second quarter and grabbed his right knee.
Real GM reports Jones will miss a month and a half before he’s re-evaluated, with the hope of returning shortly after that window. The Clippers have already been forced to deal with multiple injuries, and Jones had provided unexpected stability for Los Angeles as a rare player to start every game before Monday night.
Kawhi Leonard has missed seven straight games and remains without a timetable for his return. Bradley Beal was recently ruled out for the season with a hip fracture. The Clippers have lost eight of their last 10 games and continue to fall apart without Leonard as the best player on the roster. Jones being sidelined until January only adds more concern for a season that’s quickly slipping away.
Derrick Jones Was Important For Clippers
It’s easy to look at the Clippers’ roster and assume their success depends entirely on Leonard and James Harden. However, Jones has been a key contributor on both ends of the floor for head coach Ty Lue. His averages of 10.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game don’t jump off the page in today’s NBA, but his impact goes beyond the box score.
Jones provided consistent minutes and often defended the opposing team’s top wing scorers. Harden now faces even more pressure and needs as many versatile players as possible to help him anchor the offense. The absence of both Jones and Leonard makes every night more difficult for Harden.
Jones is shooting 53% from the field and 35% from 3-point range, both above his career marks. The 28-year-old has fit seamlessly into the Clippers’ identity and remains an ideal role player for Lue. The lone bright spot is that Jones is expected to return well before the end of the season.
Can The Clippers Survive Losing Jones?
The Clippers’ depth was supposed to be a major strength in their push for success this season. Unfortunately, the veterans they relied on have largely failed them. Chris Paul continues to struggle to stay on the court and appears to finally be feeling the effects of Father Time.
Brook Lopez is playing limited minutes and also showing signs of decline. Beal is not expected to return until next season, and Nicolas Batum can only provide so much as a role player. All these misses have shrunk the margin of error and forced everyone else to step up.
Jones missing time isn’t a season-ender, but it becomes far more damaging if Leonard remains out. Once again, the Clippers’ season hinges on Kawhi’s health. Their abysmal 4-10 record has them slipping further down the standings. Leonard needs to return soon to stabilize the sinking ship, or the Clippers may be out of the race by the time Jones is healthy again.
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