Lue's surprising starting lineup decision hints at severity of Bogdanović's injury

Early against the Guangzhou Loong Lions, Bogdan Bogdanović exited with what was said to be back soreness. Based on immediate observation and how he described his pain to Lawrence Frank, Bogdanović missed the rest of the contest due to precaution from the medical staff and should have been back shortly.

In the two minutes he played, Bogdanović didn't even get a chance to take a shot, recording only one assist and one personal foul.

Conversely, last night, the Clippers went from their first game in Oceanside, California, to Inglewood, the place they call home, to face the Denver Nuggets. But before the game, Tyronn Lue shared the starting lineup with reporters, and Bogdanović was not just off the list; he was out for the game.

Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated spread the news with an additional mention of Lue hovering over the fact that the veteran guard was progressing well. On the contrary, Bogdanović being out could mean the soreness is grave, leading to a longer recovery period that may take up the rest of the preseason.

Bogdan Bogdanović may need over a week without organized basketball to recover

Bogdan Bogdanović was on the list of names that fans were excited to watch, as he played well in the time he was available during the EuroBasket. Now, Clipper Nation wants to see him more, given how everyone was left devastated that he exited after two minutes against the Guangzhou Loong Lions.

Moreover, when playing the Denver Nuggets, Tyronn Lue did not have Bogdanović or Bradley Beal, so he started Derrick Jones Jr. This was a great decision, as the first half of action surprised fans and even experts like Brian Windhorst.

However, the back injury he is currently recovering from is Bogdanović's second before the regular season. The first was a hamstring injury that occurred during his offseason with his home country, Serbia.

Furthermore, soreness is commonly experienced by players on a game-to-game basis. Thus, Bogdanović's missing preseason playing time, which he needs to ramp up before the season opener, means his status is likely longer than day-to-day.

Additionally, Lue may not favor playing Bogdanović, as he could suffer a third pre-regular season injury. In this case, he will most likely be out against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, with the hope that his back feels good enough to play on the road in Salt Lake City.