Derrick Jones Jr. suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain to his right knee in a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics and will miss at least six weeks. Here's the kicker that proves the LA Clippers' luck is at the bottom of the barrell: it's the same injury, to the same knee, against the same team, and caused by the same type of collision that sidelined him for six weeks earlier this season.
The Clippers needed Jones Jr. during his first absence, and when he returned on December 28th, his impact was felt through defense and athleticism. The starting lineup of Jones Jr., Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Kris Dunn played only 20 minutes together this season but posted a net rating of 42.8; that unit was the key to everything clicking.
Now that it will not be back for quite some time, the Clippers need to figure out how to stay afloat in the loaded Western Conference.
Derrick Jones Jr. has experienced an unfortunate pattern that cannot be ignored
Basketball is a contact sport, and injuries happen. Payton Pritchard was making a hustle play, and these collisions are part of the game. But the statistical improbability of the same player suffering the same injury to the same knee against the same opponent twice in three months is remarkable. It's the kind of coincidence that feels less like purely bad luck against the LA Clippers.
Thus, Jones Jr. must be physically, mentally, and emotionally drained through the restart of the recovery process he just tackled.
The timing of Derrick Jones Jr.'s injury couldn't be worse
Derrick Jones Jr. is expected to miss the rest of the games before the All-Star break, which means he'll be out through early February at minimum. Given that the LA Clippers are 15-23, losing their best perimeter defender and most athletic wing for six weeks may be catastrophic.
Jones Jr. was having a career year before the injury, averaging 10.4 points while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and a career-best 40.0 percent from three. More importantly, he provided defensive intensity, covered multiple positions, showed his athleticism to recover when rotations broke down.
Without him, the Clippers are back to playing Nicolas Batum, who's 36 years old. The spacing issues that plagued the first 27 games will return, the defense will suffer, and the superstar duo will be asked to do even more with even less help.
The LA Clippers have had nothing but injuries this season
Step back and look at the LA Clippers' injury history this season. Bradley Beal suffered a season-ending hip fracture after six games, Derrick Jones Jr. has now missed 20 games with the same knee injury twice, Ivica Zubac missed significant time with an ankle sprain, Bogdan Bogdanović has been in and out of the lineup constantly with various ailments, and Kawhi Leonard dealt with ankle and foot issues early in the season.
The only reason the Clippers went on a six-game winning streak was because guys got healthy at the same time. Leonard's minutes started increasing, the rotation stabilized, and consistency was brought about.
Everything for the Clippers this season has depended on luck, and it has clearly taken a toll.
Who do the Clippers look to next?
The LA Clippers have two choices: panic and make a desperation trade to salvage the season, or ride it out and hope everyone gets healthy by the playoffs. Yet, with a record of 15-23, neither option is particularly appealing.
Trading for an impact player seems unlikely given their lack of assets. The best they can do is deal Ivica Zubac for a wing who provides spacing, but that creates a hole at center. Though they could lean on Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Kobe Sanders for more minutes, asking rookies to carry a playoff push is disastrous.
The most likely scenario? The Clippers limp through the next few weeks, remain shy of the play-in race, and spend the rest of the season wondering what could have been if Derrick Jones Jr. hadn't gotten hurt twice.