Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups has a torn left Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season.
Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro revealed Billups’ status to Times columnist T.J. Simers during a lunch interview. Del Negro had gotten the results of Billups' magnetic resonance imaging exam during a phone call with Clippers trainer Jasen Powell.
Billups, 35, was injured Monday in the Clippers' overtime victory over
the Magic in Orlando, Fla. Recover time for such an injury is at least eight months.
Billups was a key figure in the Clippers’ rise to second place in the NBA’s Western Conference this season. He teamed with point guard Chris Paul to form a talented backcourt for the Clippers, who are enjoying one of their most successful starts in franchise history.
They lead the Pacific Division at 15-7 and have won the first two games of their six-game trip.
Billups fell to the court midway through the fourth quarter Monday and had to be helped from the arena. He was unable to put weight on his left leg.
Billups was averaging 15 points and four assists this season and playing about 30 minutes a game. It is not yet clear what the guard rotation will be without Billups, though the roles of Randy Foye and Mo Williams will probably be expanded.
— Mike James
