Injured Ibaka out against Clips
LOS ANGELES — The Orlando Magic entered their game Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at less than full strength.
Power forward Serge Ibaka, the team’s secondleading scorer and thirdleading rebounder, sat out because of a sore right shoulder after he tested the shoulder on Staples Center’s game court.
He said an MRI on the joint revealed no damage.
“Some stuff like this you cannot control,” Ibaka said. “But things happen. Hopefully, it’s just going to be only one game.”
Ibaka injured the shoulder when he attempted to block a shot in a game Sunday. As he sprinted back on defense, he hit the backboard with his right palm as his momentum carried him over the baseline. He wrenched his shoulder on the play.
Coach Frank Vogel adjusted his starting lineup because of Ibaka’s absence and because the Clippers employ a small-ball lineup with Blake Griffin injured.
Vogel started Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Jeff Green and Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic and Green hadn’t started a game since Nov. 25.
Ibaka had played in all of Orlando’s first 39 games.
His absence Wednesday leaves the Magic with just three players who have appeared in all of the team’s games this season: Payton, Gordon and D.J. Augustin.
When the Magic faced the Clippers, they encountered an opposing player they contacted last summer in free agency. Veteran Clippers guard
told the Orlando Sentinel he spoke with Magic assistant general manager over the phone in early July, before Crawford committed to re-sign with the Clippers.
Crawford said he never actually met face-to-face with the Magic.
The Magic already had supplemented their outside shooting before the start of free agency by trading for
The price for Meeks was low. The Magic agreed to send the least favorable of their 2019 second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons to acquire him.
Meeks also has a relatively inexpensive contract. This season, the final year of his deal, he will earn $6.5 million.
Crawford, on the other hand, returned to the Clippers on a three-year deal worth a total of $42 million (although the third year of his contract is only partially guaranteed).
Crawford, 36, was named the 2015-16 Sixth Man of the Year, marking the third time he has won the award.
Crawford likely would have helped the Magic because he can handle the ball well and shoot from long range. When a team needs a bucket late in a game, Crawford can provide it.
On Sunday, Clippers point guard became the third-fastest player in NBA history to reach the 15,000-point and 8,000-assist milestones, trailing only Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson.
Paul also scored 19 points, dished out 18 assists and committed just one turnover that day to lead the Clippers to a victory over the Miami Heat.
“He’s Groundhog’s Day,” Clippers coach said. “We just take it for granted — not us, but you see his numbers and you don’t flinch. There’s probably four or five players — they get those numbers, and there’s not much said. But everybody else, there’s a big article about it. CP’s just a great player.”
Paul has been selected to the All-Star Game nine times.
“I don’t know that his teammates take him for granted,” Clippers shooting guard said. “I certainly don’t. I think sometimes he gets overlooked a little bit in the top point guard discussion in today’s NBA. But he’s still at the top of his game to me and still as good as anyone.”