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Redick Status Up In Air As Clippers Go To New Orleans

Rowan Kavner

NEW ORLEANS – Doc Rivers hopes his starting shooting guard can play in New Orleans.

But J.J. Redick’s status against the Pelicans (24-22) is up in the air after missing Wednesday’s game in Utah with back spasms. Rivers found out about the injury minutes before the Clippers (32-14) played the Jazz, and he remained hopeful yet uncertain regarding Redick’s availability in New Orleans. 

“I was unprepared for that one,” Rivers said. “I kind of saw it, but I didn’t want to see it, you know what I mean? I saw him moving (Wednesday), and I should’ve seen it, but it honestly caught me off guard.”

Rivers said he believes Redick aggravated his back after absorbing a hit late in the Denver game. 

“It was a jarring hit,” Rivers said. “I think in the fourth (quarter). It was a jarring hit, and he didn’t see it. It was almost like a whiplash effect that he’s going through.”

As for the rest of his Clippers, a slow start in Utah turned into a win on the first game of the Clippers’ current eight-game road trip.

“(Wednesday’s game was really important for us,” Rivers said. “You could see it. Guys felt it. Guys weren’t playing well, and we just had to find a way to win, and we did.”

Tipoff: 5:00pm PST

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LAST TIME OUT

Clippers 94, Jazz 89 – For three quarters, the Clippers looked lethargic and uncharacteristically sloppy, given their five-game winning streak heading to Utah. They made it six straight by turning everything around defensively in the fourth quarter, holding the Jazz to 17 points and only four in the last five minutes. Without J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford stepped into the starting lineup and scored 21 points, while Austin Rivers came off the bench for 12 points.

Nuggets 93, Pelicans 85 – The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Pelicans, who were probably more concerned with their star big man than the result. Anthony Davis fell awkwardly and had to be helped to the locker room, although he returned later in the game. It was reported as a groin injury and is worth monitoring going forward. The Pelicans only scored 15 fourth-quarter points in the loss.

NOTEWORTHY MATCHUP

Blake Griffin vs. Pelicans’ Interior – This would obviously be Griffin vs. Anthony Davis if Davis’ status was clearer for this matchup. The Pelicans are the best in the NBA at scoring in the paint, but only three teams allow more points in the paint. The first time these two teams played this season, Griffin poured in 30 of the Clippers’ 120 points. Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who added 18 rebounds in that matchup, both had a plus-24 line when they were on the floor. 

TWO THINGS TO WATCH:

Who’s In, Who’s Out?  The availability of Redick, who hit five 3-pointers the last time these two teams played, is in question. For the Pelicans, Davis (groin) is also questionable for this matchup and day-to-day after landing awkwardly in his last game. That would obviously be a huge loss for New Orleans and change the matchup tremendously.

3-Pointers – Only two teams allow fewer 3-pointers per game than the Pelicans, but that didn’t appear to matter in the last matchup. The Clippers put on full display why they’re one of the better deep shooting teams in the league, hitting 17 3-pointers in their first game against New Orleans this year. Shooting 53.1 percent again from deep may be unlikely, particularly if Redick can’t go. They could choose to keep shooting from deep or change to more of an inside game if Davis is out.

NOTES:  Chris Paul was drafted fourth overall by New Orleans in 2005 and spent his first six seasons there … Paul said there’s always an added feeling when he goes back to New Orleans, where he has extended family … This is also the first time Paul can enjoy the trip without being on the first or second game of a back-to-back since leaving New Orleans … Pelicans guard Eric Gordon played three seasons for the Clippers … Gordon was part of the trade that sent Paul from New Orleans to the Clippers … Austin Rivers spent his first two-plus seasons in New Orleans … Blake Griffin scored 30 points in the first matchup between the teams this season…