LOS ANGELES – Good news for the LA Clippers! Forward Derrick Jones Jr. is reportedly available to come back to the court this Sunday. The team plays against the Detroit Pistons. This return comes after Jones Jr. missed a good chunk of time. He’s been out since November 16. That’s when he picked up a sprained MCL. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the news. It’s a big boost for the team, for sure.
Jones Jr. Back After Injury Layoff
Jones Jr. was pretty good before his injury. He actually started the first 13 games of the season. He was averaging a career-high 10.9 points. But then, on November 16, he got hurt. It was in a collision against the Boston Celtics. He had to be helped off the court. He was holding his right knee. That injury sidelined him for a while.
Now, he’s set to return. But we don’t really have more details yet. There are no verified updates on how many minutes he’ll play. Or what his performance expectations are. ESPN’s injury status page doesn’t even explicitly list him, which is kinda weird. It just means we’ll have to wait and see how he looks on the court. It’s a big deal to get him back, though. The Clippers could really use his energy.
Clippers Look to Continue Winning Streak
The Clippers’ record this season isn’t exactly great. They’re sitting at 9-21 right now. That’s pretty far down there. But, they’ve been playing better lately. They actually enter Sunday’s game on a three-game win streak. So, maybe they’re turning things around a bit. Getting Jones Jr. back could help keep that momentum going. They’ll be facing the Detroit Pistons, which seems like a winnable game. You can check out more general NBA scores and stats on ESPN.
Another Clippers Star Out for the Season
While Jones Jr. is coming back, the team did get some tough news recently. Guard Bradley Beal has a fracture in his left hip. He’ll need season-ending surgery. This is a real blow for the Clippers. Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN sources that Beal should make a “full and complete recovery.” That’s good to hear, at least.
Clippers president Lawrence Frank called it a “very, very fluky injury.” He said it was almost like getting into a car accident. It wasn’t a typical basketball injury, apparently. Beal had already been managing inflammation in his right knee.
That was after a scope last season. He only played six games this year. He averaged career lows with 8.2 points and 1.7 assists. It was his first season in Los Angeles. The Clippers signed him to a two-year, $11 million deal. They were pretty excited about him. So, it’s a rough break for everyone. But they’re optimistic he’ll be back healthy next year.
So, the Clippers are getting one player back and losing another key guy. It’s a mixed bag of news for the team. But Jones Jr.’s return is definitely something for fans to be happy about this weekend.
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