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Sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari not expected to play for at least another week

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket on Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Staples Center on January 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket on Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Staples Center on January 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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LA Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari joined ESPN’s The Jump on Monday to discuss his recovery. It’s been made clear that he’ll be unavailable on Thursday.

LA Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari has already missed six consecutive games due to back spasms, and it looks as though that streak could extend to 10 by the time he returns.

The sharpshooter made an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump on Monday, discussing his recovery. He stated that he’s been making solid progress, and that while he’s taking things day by day, he probably won’t return for another week. That means he could miss the next three or four games, depending on how exact his estimate is.

Of course, that assumes that Gallinari will make LA’s upcoming road trip, which begins February 2 and ends on February 11. If he doesn’t, he could be out until February 13, the Clippers’ last game before the All-Star break.

Gallinari is in the midst of a career-best season, with averages of 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He’s also shooting a career-high 44.6 percent from three on 5.5 attempts per game, his highest percentage since his rookie season.

The LA Clippers have won five of the seven games that Gallinari has missed this season, six of which have come in the last two weeks. The two losses have come against the Dallas Mavericks  and the Atlanta Hawks. Oddly enough, Gallinari missed both games against Atlanta this season.

Tobias Harris has made a valiant effort to step up during Gallinari’s absence, and his efforts may be enough to solidify his All-Star case. He’s averaged 24.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists over the last six games, while converting shots at a 53 percent clip.

The Clippers will need Harris to string together a few more solid performances while Gallo sits, as the upcoming stretch features some very difficult games. LA will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday before heading out on a six-game road trip that includes matchups with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Rookie guard Jerome Robinson has arguably benefitted most from Gallinari’s injury, as he’s finally seeing some consistent minutes near the end of LA’s rotation. He’s averaging nearly 13 minutes per game during the stretch, bringing his season average up to 8.3 minutes.

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While Gallinari sits, expect the Clippers to continue rolling with their new starting lineup, which features Avery Bradley at his usual position.