Danilo Gallinari and Milos Teodosic near return for the Clippers
Soon, reinforcements will arrive for the injury-ravaged Clippers.
Exactly when starters Danilo Gallinari and Milos Teodosic come back from injuries is not certain, but both practiced Monday and Tuesday, opening the door for a return sooner rather than later.
Gallinari, out for the past 13 games with a strained left glute, was listed as “questionable” on the injury report for Wednesday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center.
Teodosic, out since the second game of the season with a plantar fascia injury to his left foot, was listed as “out” for the Timberwolves game. The next game is Saturday at home against the Washington Wizards.
“Gallo is day-to-day,” coach Doc Rivers said before practice Tuesday. “He could possibly play tomorrow. He probably will play by [Saturday] for sure. I don’t know that positively, but I think so. He could possibly play tomorrow.
“Milos, probably is two or three games away. But he’s closer as well, so he’s ahead of schedule, which is good.”
Gallinari and Teodosic practiced Monday with the Clippers’ G League team, both of them looking “good”, according to Rivers, during the session with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. Rivers said the plan for Tuesday was for Gallinari to be “limited” during practice and for Teodosic to “be able to go all [of the practice] but no contact.”
“At least you can see like the light at the end of the tunnel, getting a couple of guys back,” Rivers said. “That’ll be nice.”
Gallinari had been working out on the road recently, and the five-on-five practice and scrimmage Monday was another step in the right direction. “I feel better,” he said, but also acknowledged he’s not completely healthy.
“I’m not 100%,” Gallinari said, “but close.”
Gallinari said he can’t just tell the Clippers that he wants to play. “I wish it was that easy,” Gallinari said. “I did that before I got injured. It didn’t really work for my butt — for my glute, sorry.”
Teodosic posted a picture on his Twitter account of him wearing his practice jersey, the ball in his right hand and a defender in front of him at practice.
“See you soon,” he wrote.
Gallinari liked what he saw out of Teodosic at practice Monday.
“He’s very close on getting back, I think,” Gallinari said. “He did great yesterday. He’s getting back on his conditioning and everything. He’s been feeling very good.”
CLIPPERS tonight
VS. MINNESOTA
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
On the air: TV: Prime Ticket, ESPN; Radio: 570, 1330.
Update: DeAndre Jordan leads the NBA in field-goal percentage, making 68.3% of his shots, and he’s second in rebounds, averaging 13.9 per game. After an eight-for-eight shooting performance against the Timberwolves on Sunday, Jordan is shooting 74.3% against them.
Twitter: @BA_Turner
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