When the Los Angeles Clippers face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, they’ll likely be without Paul George for the entirety of the series, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That obviously isn’t ideal for the Clippers as they try to take down the Suns, and move forward in the competitive Western Conference playoff picture.
George has been sidelined since March 21 with a sprained knee after hyperextending it during the Clippers loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The injury happened when George landed awkwardly after grabbing a rebound. You can see the play below:
George is making positive progress in his rehabilitation from the injury, but there is no concrete timetable for a potential return to action at this point. It was originally reported that George would be out for 2-3 weeks, but he hit the three-week mark on April 11, so it appears he’ll blow past that timeline.
“I’ve been feeling better … been working my butt off, grinding literally every day,” George said recently of his return on his “Podcast P with Paul George” podcast. “Six days out of the week I’m training, doing rehab. I’m going to give it every chance I got, man.”
Without George’s services, the Clippers face a very tough task in the first round against Phoenix. The Suns have yet to lose a game that Kevin Durant plays in, and they look like a legitimate contender when healthy. If the Clippers are able to advance, perhaps George will be able to return later in the playoffs, but that’s a big if.
