Why is Paul George not playing tonight? Latest status of Clippers forward vs Wizards January 31, 2024

The LA Clippers will not have Paul George tonight as they take on the Washington Wizards. The All-Star forward has been listed as out due to a groin injury. The Clippers are currently on a seven-game road trip and are coming off a 118-108 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

George's absence tonight won't be a major factor for the Clippers. They are at the fourth spot in the Western Conference with a 30-15 record. However, the forward is their second-leading scorer, which limits the team's offensive weapon against the Wizards tonight.

George's game has elevated the Clippers' chances of having serious contention against the top teams in the West. However, he has struggled to make shots in the past five games, averaging 31% from the three.

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What happened to Paul George?

Paul George has only missed two games this year. According to sources, George re-aggravated his groin injury against the Brooklyn Nets. Since then, the eight-time All-Star has struggled to contribute on both ends.

Head coach Ty Lue addressed the concern after their loss against the Cavs on Monday.

"He's doing okay," Lue said. "Just pushing through playing the way he has. We appreciate that. We need everybody we can get, because he's still dangerous on the floor. Just monitoring to see how he feels... We appreciate him being on the floor, fighting what he's going through."

Before his groin injury, George averaged 23.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 46.8% from beyond the arc in his last 13 games.

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When will Paul George return?

While George's absence isn't a major concern for the team right now, fans are still eager to know when he'll be able to return. The Clippers have not given a timetable for his return to the court yet. There is a possibility that the team is simply taking a precautionary measure for their star's health.

With that, the forward could be back as they face the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Still, the organization has not released a statement on his potential return.

The Clippers still have Kawhi Leonard, who's leading the team in scoring with 23.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. They also have James Harden, a talented scorer who can pick up some of George's leftover responsibility tonight against Washington.