The Los Angeles Clippers lost more than the game against the Miami Heat on Sunday.
They lost Danilo Gallinari, too.
The 29-year-old was forced out of action in the first half with a hip injury, something he’s been laboring through for a few games, per the Los Angeles Times‘ Kevin Baxter:
The Clippers lost Danilo Gallinari after he suffered a bruised hip midway through the second period. The forward, who started Sunday and is leading the team in minutes played, isn’t sure when he’ll be back.
“I can barely walk,” Gallinari said before hobbling out of the locker room. “I’ve been having pain the past two or three games and now it’s getting to a point where I’m having problems walking so I’ve got to take care of it.”
Losing Gallinari for a little while will come as quite a blow for the Clippers. Their offense, to be sure, will be fine. They place third in points scored per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, and are piling on even more when he’s off the court. But, quite surprisingly, they may end up missing him on the defensive end.
Though they’ve been okay when he sits, the Clippers defend like a top-six squad when he’s in the game. Both he and Blake Griffin have done a good job switching, and Los Angeles is at a distinct advantage during those times when he gets to defend power forwards.
Head coach Doc Rivers has other wing options to lean on—most notably Wesley Johnson and rookie Sindarius Thornwell. But neither comes close to providing the offensive punch delivered by Gallinari. Austin Rivers sometimes does, but he’s a giant question mark, at best, on the less glamorous end. He also, at 6’4″, doesn’t have the capacity to switch onto power forwards; he’s barely an option when it comes to waging battle with small forwards.
The Clippers cannot afford to play this situation so loosely at the beginning of the season. They have a ton of money invested in Gallinari and must have him healthy for the longer haul. If he needs rest, he needs rest. Things just won’t be pretty without him.
