The Los Angeles Clippers did see J.J. Redick return on Thursday night, but they just lost two more key players from the bench. Per the Los Angeles Times, Danny Granger and Jamal Crawford could both be out until the NBA Playoffs begin.
Says head coach Doc Rivers: "I'd be surprised if we saw either one of them until the playoffs, maybe. That's a concern. That's where we're at right now. … Danny most likely will not play until the playoffs. But Jamal, it's starting to turn that way."
Crawford has been out since March 29 due to a sore left Achilles' tendon. Granger, on the other hand, has been out since March 27 because strained left hamstring.
Rivers thinks Granger's injury is more related to his calf, a similar one that Crawford had previously that sat him out eight games.
"I think it's all the calf," Rivers said. "I know they use different words and things, but I think at the end of the day it's the calf injury. I was concerned when it happened because nobody was around. Always scares the heck out of me when a guy gets hurt when nobody's around. That means it's your body.
"If I collide with you, it's simple or major and I can see why. But if I'm just running down the floor and my body gives out, that's always scared me."
Crawford is averaging 18.6 points per game. Granger, who added to the team in February, has averaged eight points per game. Despite Granger's limited production this season, he is still a key factor for LA's bench.
"He was great," says Rivers. "We were finding ways to use him that I didn't know we could. I thought that we could post him. He hadn't played in so long, I honestly had forgotten that he shot the ball that well and that easy. And so we started using him in pin-downs. I didn't have any thought of doing that. So at least he gave us enough of a window to know how to use him."
