LA Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. sustained a sprained MCL in his right knee and will be reevaluated in six weeks, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.
Jones, 28, had started all 13 games this season and was averaging a career-high 10.9 points per game prior to the injury Sunday in Boston.
Jones was helped to the locker room after falling to the court and grabbing his right knee following a collision in the second quarter of Los Angeles’ 121-118 loss.
Jones was reaching for a loose ball and collided with a diving Jaylen Brown of Boston. Brown’s arm struck Jones’ leg. Jones grabbed his knee as he fell to the floor and was rolling in pain before slowly getting up and being helped to the locker room, barely putting any weight on the leg. Brown was whistled for a foul on the play.
The injuries are starting to pile up for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard missed his seventh straight game with an ankle and foot sprain, and Bradley Beal suffered a season-ending hip fracture Nov. 8.
“It’s tough,” James Harden said of Jones’ injury. “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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
