The LA Clippers have been playing stellar basketball of late considering the amount of injuries they've had, and on Friday night, they were hoping to start a run that would help put them in good position for a playoff spot. Forward Blake Griffin returned from a strained MCL four weeks earlier than expected and helped the Clippers to a 121-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately for LA, they also lost one of their key rotational players in the process.
Guard Austin Rivers, who had been on a scoring roll over the last couple of weeks, left the game in the third quarter and did not return with a right Achilles strain. He was limping to the bench after suffering the injury during play and was then helped to the locker room where he was diagnosed with the injury. He finished with 13 points, two rebounds, and three assists on 5-12 shooting. He scored 10 points in the opening minutes of the game on 4-of-4 shooting to get the Clippers out to a 17 point lead early in the first quarter.
The team announced that Rivers will also have an MRI done on Saturday afternoon to determine the severity of Rivers' Achilles strain. Rivers was not available for comment after the game, but did tell ClutchPoints, “I'm good, this sh*t just hurts a lot.” His teammate, Montrezl Harrell, asked him what he felt when the injury happened, and Rivers said something along the lines of, “it kind of got stuck.”
Rivers suffered another injury earlier in the game that kept him on the ground for a minute before he walked into the locker room. The team called it a left elbow contusion, and he returned within minutes to play.
Rivers left the arena on crutches and we'll know more about his injury following tomorrow's MRI.
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