Jones to be out a minimum of six weeks. He suffered a right knee injury while attempting to dunk during Sunday’s game against the Boston Celtics. Jones’ injury happened in the second quarter when he ran into Jaylen Brown after lunging for a loose ball. After the collision, Jones collapsed to the floor, clearly unable to continue, and was assisted back to the locker room.
The unusual accident occurred as Jones was trying to get hold of the football. Brown’s arm had slapped Jones’ leg, leading to a reaction that had Jones tumbling to the court before getting up in slow motion. Holding his knee and widely limping as he put weight on his hurt lower limb. As he left the court, you saw why. After this collision, a foul was called on Brown.
Prior to this negative occurrence, Jones had actually started all 13 games for the Clippers this season. The three-year starter was enjoying a career year, at the time, averaging 10.9 points per game. The injury has taken a huge step on his performance. It breeds some complications for the Clippers as they continue to fight their way through the competitive NBA season.
Even Harden’s frustrations on the teammate-turned-enemy situation were made known. In particular, he underscored the mounting list of injuries that have decimated his team.
“It’s like one after the next. You just try to continue to keep your head on straight, focus on what you can control and just go out there and come away with wins. Hopefully guys will start coming back sooner than later.” – James Harden
The Clippers have not provided a timetable for Jones’ recovery as of yet. Early reports suggest he will be out for a long time as he begins treatment and rehabilitation. At 28 years old, this injury might change his on-field impact and therefore the culture of the team long term.
As the Clippers navigate this setback, they will rely on their depth and resilience to maintain competitiveness in the league. Jones’s absence leaves a huge hole in the team’s scoring. It will further throw off the team chemistry as they adjust to having him leave the lineup temporarily.
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