LOS ANGELES – The injury woes continue for the Los Angeles Clippers, this time with a guy who's been able to stay relatively healthy all year. John Wall, who only missed one game this season due to injury and the other nine due to injury management, suffered an abdominal injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the Clippers announced.
Wall suffered the injury in Friday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets. With about 9:32 left in the fourth quarter, Wall drove in transition and threw down a dunk over Denver'S Zeke Nnaji. That's where he believes he suffered the abdominal injury.
“I finished the whole game after my dunk, but I couldn't have my same explosion,” Wall said on Sunday. “You kind of could tell cause couple times I could have drove or did certain things, but I just couldn't do it. But I was comfortable enough to finish the game.”
The Clippers practiced on Saturday afternoon, but Wall was unable to participate in any part of it due to the injury.
“I ain't know what it was. After I dunked you could kind of see me, I was going like this [stretches abdominal area]. I didn't know what it was. And then I went through practice yesterday and I went through everything they went through but didn't run or nothing. And then we got an MRI and then they called me at six o'clock and told me what it was.”
Without Wall now, the Clippers will turn to Reggie Jackson as the backup point guard. Terance Mann will continue to start at point guard, but the second until will now be manned by Jackson, who hasn't played the last two games and only played seven first half minutes off the bench against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Clippers rotation had been in flux the last few weeks as head coach Tyronn Lue continues to try and find lineups that work despite injuries to key pieces. It appeared like they found a set rotation with Mann starting at point guard, but Wall's injury now changes things for the second unit and the pace they want to play with.
“Hell yeah,” Wall responded when asked if the timing of this injury was frustrating. “Yeah, for sure. Kind of tried to find a rhythm and then also, again, minutes moved up, so it's kind of definitely frustrating for sure.
Wall is now expected to be out at least two weeks with a re-evaluation set for two weekends from now. As far as what's in store for him with rehab and a possible return, John Wall says he's not sure yet.
I just found out yesterday after practice what really was going on. So I don't really know what the timetable is or what I can do, what I can't do.
“I couldn't practice. I can barely run, so I don’t know, just taking a day by day for real to be honest.”
The Clippers schedule isn't getting any easier. According to Tankathon, the Clippers have the third toughest remaining strength of schedule, with the final 38 opponents holding a win percentage of .518.
In 34 appearances this season, John Wall is averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 30.3 percent from three.
Follow Us
Subscribe
