LA Clippers forward Paul George lies on the ground after appearing to injure his knee during the fourth quarter of the NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, USA, 21 March 2023. EPA-EFE/CAROLINE BREHMAN
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Clippers swingman Paul George will miss the next two to three weeks of the NBA season with a sprained right knee, the club announced on Wednesday.
The injury, suffered in Tuesday's 101-100 loss to Oklahoma City, means the 32-year-old US playmaker will miss at least seven games and could be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
George is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals a game for the Clippers this season.
The eight-time NBA All-Star fell to the court in pain after being fouled by Canadian guard Luguentz Dort of the Thunder and was helped to the locker room.
George, in his 13th NBA campaign, was a member of the 2016 US gold medal team at the Rio Olympics.
Losing George for the final stretch run of the season could be a major setback for the Clippers' playoff hopes.
The Clippers rank fifth in the Western Conference at 38-35 but are only two games ahead of 10th-place Utah in the fight for post-season positions.