Clippers’ Derrick Jones Jr. Sustains Knee Injury During Game Against Celtics
BOSTON (AP) — In a tightly contested game that ended with the Los Angeles Clippers losing 121-118 to the Boston Celtics, forward Derrick Jones Jr. was escorted to the locker room following a knee injury. The incident occurred in the second quarter of Sunday’s matchup.
The injury transpired when Jones was reaching for a loose ball and collided with Boston’s Jaylen Brown, who was diving at the time. Brown’s arm hit Jones’ leg, causing Jones to fall and clutch his right knee in pain. He was visibly distressed and required assistance to leave the court, unable to place significant weight on his injured leg. A foul was called on Brown for the play.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue commented on the situation, stating, “We won’t know until he gets reevaluated; we’re not quite sure right now,” regarding the extent of Jones’ injury.
Amidst the game, James Harden made a notable contribution by scoring 32 of his 37 points in the second half. He acknowledged the team’s growing injury woes, as Kawhi Leonard missed his seventh consecutive game due to an ankle and foot sprain, and Bradley Beal was ruled out for the season with a hip fracture sustained on November 8.
“It’s tough,” Harden remarked about the team’s injury situation. “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.”
This season, the 28-year-old Jones has been a consistent starter for the Clippers, participating in all 13 games and averaging 10.9 points per game.
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