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BARNES OUT WITH THIGH CONTUSION

Small forward Matt Barnes will miss Wednesday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic with right thigh contusion.

“We’re going to sit Matt today and maybe tomorrow as well [against the Heat],” Doc Rivers said prior to the game.

Barnes got kneed in the thigh by Greg Smith during the first half of Monday’s 137-118 win over the Rockets. He played 6:30 after halftime, but the injury worsened following the game.

It is the second injury Barnes has sustained since training camp opened on Oct. 1. Two days after working out with the team in San Diego, Barnes was forced to sit out with a sore left calf. He returned to the Clippers’ lineup for the team’s final preseason game on Friday, Oct. 25 and has appeared in all four regular season games prior to the trip to Orlando.

Barnes was still trying to find his rhythm since returning and his newest setback won’t help. He’s averaging 6.0 points per game in 20.8 minutes.

Willie Green and Reggie Bullock are most likely to fill in for Barnes against the Magic and possibly Miami on Thursday. “I’ll watch and see who’s on the floor [for Orlando],” Rivers said. “If it’s a small we’ll go with Willie. If it’s a bigger guy we’ll go with Reggie. So, that’s a tough one. Each night, the next two nights, it will be more about who they have the floor than who we want to play.”