George may miss playoff start
The Clippers may be without All-Star Paul George to start the postseason.
The team said Wednesday that George has a sprained right knee and he will be reevaluated in two to three weeks.
The Clippers began the day in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 38-35 record. They end the regular season on April 9 at Phoenix, a team they could meet in the first round of the playoffs, which begin six days later.
Even if George recovers before the playoff opener, he’ll need time to get back in shape after not seeing game action for weeks.
George got hurt when he went down hard late in a 101100 loss to the Thunder on Tuesday night. His knee made contact with the Thunder’s Luguentz Dort, who was going for a rebound with 4:38 remaining.
George needed help to leave the court, appearing unable to put any weight on his right leg, and once inside the tunnel he was carried to the locker room. He later left the arena on a cart with his right leg extended.
WAIT GOES ON FOR ZION
All-Star forward Zion Williamson will not return for at least two more weeks, jeopardizing whether he will be a part of the Pelicans’ playoff push.
The Pelicans announced Wednesday that Williamson, who has not played since straining his right hamstring Jan. 2, “has been cleared to return to on-court activities” and “will be re-evaluated in two weeks.”
The latest re-evaluation will come April 5. New Orleans plays host to Memphis that night and will have two more
regular-season games on April 7 and April 9.
“I can’t confirm whether he’ll be back or not,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said after practice Wednesday.
Green said the organization is “taking a slower approach” with Williamson’s rehab after the team’s leading scorer suffered a “re-injury” in February.
JORDAN PONDERS HORNETS SALE
Michael Jordan is considering selling the Hornets.
The six-time NBA champion is in negotiations to sell at least a portion of the franchise to a group that includes Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin.
“Four years ago, Michael Jordan sold a stake in the Charlotte Hornets to a Gabe Plotkin-led group,” Jump Management, which is Jordan’s family office, said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. “As a natural step in a process due to that transaction, Michael and Gabe are in discussions about his group potentially buying an additional stake.”
No deal is imminent.
“At this time, it is unclear whether an additional sale will take place,” the statement read.
Jordan declined interview requests to discuss the potential sale of the team through his spokesperson, Estee Portnoy.
ALTUVE UNDERGOES SURGERY
The Astros’ Jose Altuve underwent surgery Wednesday on his broken right thumb, an injury that occurred in the World Baseball Classic and will significantly delay the second baseman’s 2023 debut.
The Astros announced that the 32-year-old Altuve had the procedure done in Houston and will stay there to begin his rehabilitation, with only one week left in spring training. The Astros will fly there on Sunday following their final Grapefruit League game in Florida, before playing a pair of exhibitions against their Triple-A team, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, in Texas.
Altuve was hit by a pitch on Saturday while playing for Venezuela in the WBC. He might not be ready to return to the lineup until at least late May.
He batted .300 with 103 runs, 28 homers and 18 steals for the World Series champion Astros last season. Mauricio Dubón and David Hensley are the leading candidates to fill in.