Is Derrick Jones Jr. going to be all right? For fans who are present at the newly constructed Intuit Dome for another Clippers matchup, this question would make them scratch their heads. It was only 2 months ago when the hoopster gave everyone an injury scare after getting hit in the face. Fortunately, the same did not cause him to get sidelined. Amid the Clips’ injury woes, Jones Jr remained one of the most consistent players on the roster. Judging from recent events, however, it feels like this streak will dissolve.

According to Tomer Azarly, the LA side has now declared Derrick Jones Jr. ‘OUT’ for the remaining minutes in the Clippers-Rockets game. With the update coming just as the matchup reached halftime, the medical staff diagnosed Jones Jr. with right hamstring soreness, leading to his exit. As reported by Underdog NBA, Nicolas Batum now starts the second half in place of his injured mate.

Derrick Jones Jr.’s exit could not have come at a worse time for the Clippers. After all, going into the matchup against the Rockets, the LA team already had not 1, but 7 players listed on their IR. The latest entry on the report was none other than James Harden himself!

The team listed Harden as ‘Questionable’ for the game because of soreness in the right groin area. Later, they completely ruled him ‘OUT’. Now, he joins the same status held by Amir Coffey, Mo Bamba, Kobe Brown, Terance Mann, Kawhi Leonard, and PJ Tucker.

The absence of all these scorers, including two of the starters (Harden and Jones Jr) cost the Clippers. They ended their matchup against Jalen Green and Co. losing 106-117. Nah’Shon Hyland and Ivica Zubac did their part in carrying the offensive effort forward, making 22 and 21 points, respectively. In the end, however, it wasn’t enough.

We cannot underestimate Derrick Jones Jr.’s contribution as a starter. After all, he had started in all 24 regular season games played by the LA Clippers up until this point. He averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1 assist. These points he’s averaging are the highest he has ever done, in a season, over his 8-year NBA career. So, recreating his displays with other players at the front will not be easy.

How can the LA Clippers proceed forward without Derrick Jones Jr.?

Until further updates are provided, no one can confirm how long Derrick Jones Jr. will be out. Despite this, the LA Clippers will still have to come up with a plan about how to proceed without the power forward. Fortunately, Nicolas Batum remains healthy enough to help in carrying the player’s minutes. Amir Coffey and Kobe Brown, the other two backup power forwards, remain ‘OUT’. In light of this, Batum can receive the needed assistance from Jordan Miller and Kai Jones.

Over the course of 25 games, Nicolas Batum has started in 0 till now. With an average of almost 18 minutes on the court, he has contributed 3.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Meanwhile, Jordan Miller and Kai Jones themselves have averaged 7.9 and 2.3 points, respectively, in their limited appearances. Together, we will see whether they can cover for Derrick Jones Jr.