Since making his Clippers debut on February 10, guard Bennedict Mathurin has appeared in 16 consecutive games, but that streak will come to an end this week. According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), Mathurin has been ruled out for upcoming games in New Orleans (Wednesday and Thursday) and Dallas (Saturday) due to a right big toe issue.
Mathurin, whose injury designation is technically “right toe injury recovery,” has been dealing with that problem for much of the season. He missed 11 straight games in October and November due to what Indiana referred to at the time as a toe sprain.
Another Clippers guard who has battled toe issues this season, Darius Garland, is considered questionable to play on Wednesday on the first end of a back-to-back set due to left toe injury management (Twitter link via Murray). But there’s also positive news on the Clippers’ injury report, as Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable after missing Monday’s contest vs. San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is no longer listed on the injury report after sitting out two games due to low back pain, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. That suggests Sengun will be available to suit up on Wednesday vs. the Lakers.
- One week after he went off for 83 points vs. Washington, Heat big man Bam Adebayo was forced to sit out on Tuesday in Charlotte due to right calf tightness, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo said he has been “playing through it” for a couple games but that it got to the point where he had to take at least a game off. “We want to make sure that he’s feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said before Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Hornets. “He’ll continue to do around-the-clock treatment.”
- Anthony Edwards‘ knee ailment isn’t considered serious, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the inflammation in the Timberwolves guard’s knee got to the point where he needed to get some rest to let it subside. With the playoffs just a month away, the team’s priority is to make sure Edwards is fully healthy when the postseason begins, Krawczynski adds.
- After missing three games with a right ankle sprain, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with Oklahoma City, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
83 points -with a busted calf-