Paul George injury update: Clippers will be out for a couple of weeks to see if elbow improves with rest, according to report

The Los Angeles Clippers there won’t be Paul George in a few more weeks as the team continues to monitor his recovery from a UCL tear in his right elbow due to his shooting, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. George’s injury was initially reported on December 25 and he will be reevaluated in 3-4 weeks. The team will now evaluate how George’s elbow responds at rest over the next several weeks.

George initially sprained his elbow on December 6 and missed five games in a row. He had rehabilitation in his elbow during that time and returned on December 20 and scored 25 points on an 8/17 shot in a 116-92 loss to San Antonio Spurs. He played two more games, his last was on December 22 against Sacramento Kings, and has been sidelined with injury ever since.

Since George was sidelined, the Clippers have struggled without their star forward, hitting a record 5-8 in that span. Even so, though, LA is still on the hunt for not only a starting spot, but could challenge for the No. 6 spot in the West if George returns to full health. Going into Tuesday, the Clippers are eighth in the West with a 22-23 record, with just 1 1/2 games separating them from the No. Denver Nuggets. Getting that sixth place would ensure that the Clippers would avoid the play-in tournament.

But before LA can think about the knockouts, it will need George to recover quickly. At the start of the season, he was building an MVP case with the way he brought the Clippers to an 8-4 record. In his first 12 games, George averaged 26.4 points, 8 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

In the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who is yet to play this season and is still recovering from a partially torn ACL game, George is probably having his best season yet in a Clippers shirt. He averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 career-high assists and two steals a game. So, his absence on the ring is a significant blow to Los Angeles.