標籤: ankle

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton recently acknowledged that under Bo Nix, his team has recovered from the broken ankle that kept them out of the AFC Conference Championship. Nix’s injury provides the perfect excuse for Coach Payton to create more competition for the backup QB job in Denver after Jarrett Stidham completed only 54.8% of his passes for 133 yards, a TD and an INT in the team’s playoff loss.

The only other QB on the Broncos’ roster is Sam Ehlinger. But the 2021 sixth-round pick hasn’t thrown an NFL pass with the Colts since 2022. So, if the Broncos want more capable competition behind Nix to help establish their offense, who could Peyton go to coach? Here are four possible solutions.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

jimmy garoppolo

Still unsigned and reportedly considering retirement at the age of 34, Garoppolo has been tasked with backing up 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford for the past two seasons. Like the Knicks, Jimmy G does not have a very strong arm, and his top priority is keeping the ball out of harm’s way. He is also a proven winner, having led his team to two Super Bowl appearances. Until the Knicks get back to 100% in Denver, he feels like an ideal bridge QB.

Will Lewis

After the Titans selected Cam Ward No. 1 overall, Lewis will still be only 27 when the season starts. He was sidelined with a shoulder injury last season, but is now back at 100% and likely yearns for a change of scenery. Learning from Coach Payton could provide a springboard for the former second-rounder’s career, and the Titans would likely be willing to trade him as a backup to Mitchell Trubisky.

Anthony Richardson

Would the Broncos be willing to take a low-risk gamble on a highly talented prospect with injury concerns? Richardson is by far the most talented QB available, but the Broncos will have to find fair trade compensation for the former No. 4 overall pick. Still, having a high-potential developmental prospect on hand would be a fun project for the Broncos.

Russell Wilson

Will he really come back? It depends on how desperate Wilson is for another NFL opportunity. He is said to be considering TV job offers and even a contract from the Jets. Still, if Wilson wants a chance to join another Super Bowl contender, he may view the Broncos as a job too good to turn down. He’ll certainly bring a competitive spirit to practice until the Knicks rally the troops.

RELATED: 5 Russell Wilson landing spots before NFL training camps

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall says Sweden manager Graham Potter will have to make a decision on his minutes ahead of the clash with Poland.

The midfielder was a regular under Thomas Frank, playing 26 matches under the Dane’s orders and scoring one goal and four assists.

Tottenham parted ways with the manager in February and appointed Igor Tudor until the end of the season.

Bergvall has not featured regularly under Tudor due to injury. On 20 January, he suffered an ankle injury in Spurs’ 2–0 Champions League win at home to Borussia Dortmund.

last month, the potter said It will be difficult for him to be fit in time for the current international break.

However, he returned to the field in Tottenham’s 3–2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid last week. At the weekend, he again came off the bench in Spurs’ 3–0 league defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Despite his earlier doubts, Potter added the young player to his list. Bergvall played 13 minutes in Sweden’s 3-1 win over Ukraine in the World Cup playoffs on Thursday.

The Tottenham man proved the doubters wrong

After yesterday’s match, soccer channel Talked to Lucas Bergvall about his fitness and other topics.

On his early return from injury and his place in the national team, he said: “It’s been tough. But it was incredibly fun to come back and we won.

“Yes, it happened quickly. But it’s hard to say when you get an injury like that. It varies from person to person as to how quickly it goes. I was lucky that I came back in time.”

The main goal of the Tottenham Hotspur player was to get a place in Graham Potter’s team.

“Yes, it is. And that was the goal. To get back to the national team. I think most people had written me off when I had the injury. I tried to rehab as quickly as possible and get back.” Bergvall explained.

Sweden must beat Poland on Tuesday to book a place in the World Cup. The midfielder, for his part, feels ready to start in this important encounter.

“It depends on the coach but I am ready,” He added.

Ahead of tomorrow’s match, Potter said the Spurs man is “extremely important” to the national team.

On this comment Bergvall said: “Did he say that about me? First of all, it’s incredibly funny to hear him say that. I’m just trying to come here and help the team as much as I can after the injury. I can contribute as much as I can so that we can get to the World Cup.”

Sweden squad for March international break

Graham Potter’s team will face Poland on March 31:

Goalkeepers: Christopher Nordfelt, Melker Aalborg, Noel Törnqvist

Defenders: Victor Lindelof, Isak Hien, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Carl Starfelt, Daniel Svensson, Gustaf Lagerbilke, Herman Johansson

Midfielders: Mattias Svanberg, Jesper Carlström, Yasin Ayari, Hugo Larsson, Lucas Bergvall, Besfort Jenelli, Gustav Lundgren, Williet Svedberg, Eric Smith, Elliot Stroud.

Forwards: Victor Gyökeres, Anthony Elanga, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren, Rouni Bardaghji, Taha Ali

🇷🇴Radu Dragusin | Really nice words from the defender.

🤍Explains how he fell in love with the move to Tottenham
🩺The closeness has increased @madders10: “It’s just an example of how he is, the kind of guy he is. That and a lot of my colleagues.”https://t.co/h2fVYHOANm #thfc #joyce

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 26 March 2026

Kawhi Leonard suffered an apparent ankle injury during the Los Angeles Clippers’ clash with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

Leonard is in the 15th season of his NBA career, his seventh with the Clippers. He continues to shine as one of the top veteran stars in the league, wowing crowds with his elite two-way skills.

However, injuries have prevented him from reaching his true heights. And they have been exposed once again as Leonard suffered a left ankle injury in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. This happened when he lost his balance and fell to the ground after trying to save an opposing player in defence. According to reporter Tomer Azarly, he went to the locker room because the team had decided he would miss the remainder of the game.

“Kawhi Leonard is out for the remainder of the Clippers-Kings game with a left ankle injury,” Azzarli wrote.

How the Clippers played against the Kings amid Kawhi Leonard’s injury

The Clippers sorely missed Kawhi Leonard’s presence in the fourth quarter. They lost 34–26 in that frame as they lost to the Kings by a final score of 118–109.

Four players scored in double figures for Los Angeles in the loss, including Leonard. He led the way with a stat line of 31 points, six rebounds and two steals. He made 13 of 23 shots from the field, including 2 of 6 from beyond the arc and 3 of 6 from the free-throw line. Darius Garland came next with 25 points and seven assists, Benedict Mathurin had 24 points and six rebounds, while John Collins provided 10 points and three rebounds.

Los Angeles fell to a 33–32 record on the season, finishing eighth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers while trailing the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers will look to bounce back in their next game at home. They will host the San Antonio Spurs as tip-off takes place on March 16 at 10 pm ET.

Nottingham Forest’s Lorenzo Lucca has been struggling with an injury which has caused him to miss recent Premier League matches.

is according to radio marsWho are following the 25-year-old’s latest situation at Nottingham Forest.

In July 2025, Udinese allowed the striker to join Napoli on loan with an obligation to buy. He struggled under Antonio Conte and there were question marks over his attitude at the Naples club.

Despite this, the Serie A side made his stay permanent in January and immediately sent him on loan to Nottingham Forest. When he arrived at the City Ground, Sean Dyche was in charge.

Last month, the Reds parted ways with the former Everton boss and appointed Vitor Pereira as his successor.

Nottingham Forest player’s mystery revealed

The Italy international started in Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 home defeat to Fenerbahce in the Europa League. Despite the defeat, the English club has made it to the next round of the competition.

The Napoli-owned player has not appeared for the Premier League team since. Earlier this month, Sport Witness Claims broadcast from Italy Questions are being raised on his attitude at the city ground.

four days ago, game witness Italy’s claims covered again He stressed that there was no clarity on Perera’s decision to remove Lucca.

Pereira left him out of the squad for the Premier League matches against Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City.

Radio Marte State: ‘Urban legends suggest character issues, such as those that emerged in Napoli.’

However, the reality is different as Lucca is ‘suffering from an ankle problem’. The report said this was why he was substituted after the break against the Turkish club. There is no mention or indication of how long Lucca may be out of action.

Lucca’s contract situation at the City Ground

The frontman made his Nottingham Forest debut in a 3–1 Premier League defeat to Leeds United in February. He came off the bench to score for the Reds and it remains his only goal so far.

Lucca has played 194 minutes in five matches for the English club, who have secured a purchase option.

If he is sidelined for a long period of time, the chances of Nottingham Forest using the buyout clause will be significantly reduced. Even if he returns soon, it is not likely that Perera’s team will buy him.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets face off for only the second of three matches in this 2025-26 regular season. Golden State entered this contest without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody, Seth Curry, Will Richard or Gary Payton II.

However, the Warriors maintained an 11-point lead throughout the first half. Houston mounted a comeback in the third quarter, starting with a strange play by Draymond Green and Jabari Smith Jr.

With 9:49 left in the third quarter, Smith Jr. was whistled for an offensive foul for a moving screen, which knocked Green to the floor. As he got to his feet to return to the offensive end of the field, the Warriors forward made a surprising decision pull right leg Ahead of the Rockets.

Jabari Smith Jr.’s right ankle that Draymond Green grabbed was actually the same ankle that caused Smith Jr. to miss just two games before Thursday night’s game. Smith Jr. was questionable coming into the contest due to a sprained right ankle, but was cleared to play after warm-ups.

After missing two games with an ankle injury, Drummond makes a dirty play and tries to throw a Rockets player by the ankle#dubnation pic.twitter.com/JlLzG18Aqf

– Bay Area Super Fans (@Baysuperfans) 6 March 2026

Thursday night’s match is important for both the teams. A win for the Rockets would give them a season series victory while moving them one step closer to clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Warriors are fighting to hold on to the eighth seed, but only have a one-game lead over the LA Clippers for that spot.

Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 34.8 minutes per night. In 50 appearances for the Warriors this season, Draymond Green is averaging 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 26.7 minutes per night.

The Detroit Pistons entered Thursday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs looking to make another statement. But things aren’t going according to plan, and not on the scoreboard, either.

Pistons guard Aussie Thompson left the game in the first quarter due to an ankle injury. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, his return is questionable.

Aussie Thompson has headed back to the Pistons locker room due to an apparent ankle injury.

Hope he is okpic.twitter.com/SBZ7FZ3McT

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

Ausar had a strong start defensively for Detroit, blocking Victor Wembanyama’s shot on the opening possession. But after some time the situation became worse.

On the move to the tin, Thompson twisted my right ankle. He would head to Detroit’s locker room shortly thereafter. Thompson had played only two minutes in the Clash of the Titans, before leaving the game.

The Pistons began Thursday night’s game 45–15, on top of the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Spurs are just 1.5 games behind Detroit in the hunt for the NBA’s best record, and second in the West.

Thompson has had a major impact on the Pistons’ success this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He entered the game averaging 1.9 steals per game, which ranked fourth in the NBA. However, his offensive game is still a work in progress. The former fifth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft is averaging just 10.4 points per game while shooting just 57% from the charity stripe.

Detroit remained competitive immediately after Thompson’s injury. But as the first quarter wore on, the Spurs and Vembanyama imposed their will.

Wembley scored a game-high 12 points in the opening frame, as the Spurs took a 15-point lead.

There has been no update yet on Thompson’s condition.

After an ankle-related one-game layoff, Zion Williamson wasted little time in reminding everyone what the New Orleans Pelicans look like at full strength. Williamson finished with 24 points on 10 of 18 shooting, added four rebounds and drew six fouls in 33 minutes in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the loss, it was a very encouraging bounce-back performance against LeBron James. The 25-year-old consistently attacked the rim, converting all three of his fast-break opportunities and scoring 20 of his points in the paint.

Yet Williamson’s defenders were rarely whistled for any contact, allowing only five free throw attempts. This disparity did not go unnoticed by the Pelicans. James Borrego praised Williamson’s effort in no uncertain terms after the game, but admitted growing frustration at how contact was being made when his star forward went downhill.

“(Williamson) looked good,” Borrego said. “He had a lot of pop in his step, he was aggressive, downhill. I’ve gotten to see some clips of them, but I feel like there’s a lot of contact on that as well. There’s a tough, tough whistle out there with Z running the ball. He had a lot of strength, a lot of balance. I thought he brought it on the defensive end as well, so a really good performance by him (against the Lakers).

At this point the visible frustration towards the authorities should be forgiven. Borrego is calling out the refs about the lack of calls on a nightly basis.

Payment of fine for technical glitches may be included in next month’s budget.

“Got to be disappointed,” Borrego admitted. “If I were him, I would be disappointed. It’s a question for (Williamson), but I understand it. I look at it and talk to him about it. I understand it’s a tough call, but the amount of force when he goes to the rim, it’s definitely a lot of contact. A lot of contact in my opinion. We have to do everything we can as an organization, as a team, to protect him.”

Williamson, who has heard criticism about his durability and conditioning throughout his career, addressed his mindset in an ESPN interview last week, and admitted that injuries have taken a toll. Borrego addressed the emotional hurdles the former All-Star constantly needs to overcome.

“Obviously, right now, he’s got to keep his head, his cool, but it’s extremely frustrating. I feel it, and it really happens every night. So we’ve just got to keep fighting, stick together and keep fighting. I just love his spirit and fight.”

Call it sentiment or professional pride, but the Pelicans are going to have to play this way for a long time. A loss to the LA Clippers before a loss to the Lakers practically eliminated New Orleans from any NBA play-in race. It should be a little easier to build a little chemistry with a healthy roster, even without any foul play on the part of the executives.

The Chicago Bulls fell to the defending champion OKC Thunder 116-108 on Tuesday. Josh Giddy, playing against his former teammate, got injured.

Giddy twisted his ankle in the third quarter and had to leave the game. However, he came back and finished with a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. He was one rebound shy of a triple-double.

Additionally, Giddy managed to pass Derrick Rose for 5th on the double-double list for the Chicago Guards with 51.

After Giddy was out for a while, Matas Buzelis stepped on a player’s foot and rolled his ankle. Ultimately, he was taken back to the locker room and did not play the rest of the game. Later, head coach Billy Donovan confirmed that both Giddy and Bouzelis had sprained ankles.

Also, both will be evaluated on Wednesday.

However, according to Casey Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, Giddy offered a glimmer of hope that he will return.

“It doesn’t look too bad,” said Giddy.

As a result of the loss, the Bulls are 25–37 and have lost 15 of their last 17 games. The Bulls begin a five-game road trip against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. After this they will play four matches in California.

They will play against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Then, Chicago plays the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. After that, they will play the LA Lakers on Thursday and the LA Clippers on Friday.

Giddy is averaging 17.7 points, 8.4 assists and 8.2 rebounds per game. Overall, he has played 41 games this year. Recently, Giddy was out due to a left hamstring injury.

The Memphis Grizzlies organization is looking forward to the 2026-27 campaign, and so is Zack Eddy. According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the second-year center is officially out for the remainder of this season after undergoing ankle surgery on Tuesday. Hopefully he makes a full recovery, but the team clearly wanted to take a long-term look at him before heading into the offseason.

After an impressive rookie year in which he averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.5 minutes per contest, Eddy only played in 11 games and did not take the court at all in 2026. However, the Purdue legend excelled when active. He recorded five double-doubles, scored 32 points on 16 of 20 shooting in a win against the Sacramento Kings on November 30, and posted 66 boards during a four-game road trip. So, fans have good reason to be excited about his development.

Still, there’s always some degree of concern when a 7-plus-foot player misses extended time early in his NBA career. Eddy played 138 games for the Boilermakers during his history-making collegiate tenure, but it only takes one major injury to start a cruel sequence of bad luck. Hopefully, this surgery will prevent further damage and bring the two-time Wooden Award winner back to life.

The silver lining to the Zach Eddy news is that the Grizzlies should increase their chances of getting a valuable pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If everything goes in their favor, they may get an opportunity to bolster an exciting young core with top-five talent.

Ideally, both the 23-year-old big man and a new Memphis squad will be better positioned for continued success after an offseason of recovery and reflection.

Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Eddy is receiving more bad news regarding his health. According to the team, Eddie required an additional surgery on his ankle. This is Eddie’s second ankle surgery since June 2025.

Hopefully this latest surgery will relieve the stress on his ankle and the ongoing discomfort.

“Eddie is expected to make a full recovery and a timeline will be provided after surgery,” the team said in a statement.

AD is averaging 13.6 points per game during the 2025-26 NBA season. He’s also averaging just over 11 rebounds per game.

This story will be updated.

Will Richard received unfortunate news during the Golden State Warriors’ clash with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.

Richard is coming off the rookie campaign of his NBA career, having enjoyed an incredible collegiate career at Florida that included winning a national championship. He has made valuable strides in the rotation and has earned the trust of Steve Kerr as a reliable two-way player.

However, misfortune struck Richard during Golden State’s contest against Los Angeles. He injured his ankle in the first half and had to go to the locker room for evaluation.

Golden State confirmed Richards will miss the remainder of the game with an ankle injury. His night ends after five minutes of action, finishing with four points, one rebound and one block.

The Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic in a hard-fought game, 113-108, at the Kia Center on Thursday. However, the victory may have been costly, as Jabari Smith Jr. left the game in the final minutes with an ankle injury.

Smith finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 29 minutes.

In a video posted on X, the 22-year-old forward remained on the floor for a few seconds before getting up and limping on the bench.

It didn’t look good as Jabari Smith Jr. fell to the ground and they immediately grabbed his right ankle. #rockets #sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/lc5oOCtLRO

– Big Sarge Media LLC (@BigSargeSportz) 27 February 2026

Although it was a good sign that Smith was able to walk on his own, it was still likely that he suffered a serious injury.

The Rockets cannot afford to lose him long-term, as he has been a vital part of the machine. Smith, who is on a contract year, has proven to be a reliable two-way player with his length, agility and athleticism. Despite his flexible physique, Smith is not afraid to get physical. He has also improved his outside shooting.

His frontcourt trio with Kevin Durant and Alpern Sengun is one of the most lethal in the NBA, with Smith serving as the ideal complement to his All-Star teammates.

With the win, the Rockets improved to 37–21. Durant led the way with 40 points and eight rebounds in the game. Sengun added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Reed Shepard also performed with 20 points, including five three-pointers, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks off the bench.

The Rockets won their third consecutive game and will look to follow it up on Saturday against the Miami Heat.

Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers has had his minutes restricted recently due to an ankle injury. Leonard initially fouled out of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers with more than five minutes remaining on the clock, but has since produced 37 points and eight rebounds in a loss against the Orlando Magic.

However, as it appears, Leonard has not fully recovered from the ankle problem and recently revealed that it was a “long injury” according to a post on the Ax by Sports Illustrated’s Farbod Esnashari.

Kawhi Leonard says his ankle pain has persisted for a long time. The medical team asked him against the Lakers to see if it was getting loose, and he went to the back but it wasn’t getting loose.

Kawhi said he didn’t want to potentially mess up his availability… pic.twitter.com/gwOaImqClr

– Farbod Esnashari (@Farbod_E) 23 February 2026

The journalist revealed, “Kawhi said he didn’t want to potentially ruin his availability against the Magic by forcing him to play against the Lakers.”

As far as the Clippers’ ceiling is concerned, Leonard remains extremely important. Through 43 games, the All-Star forward is averaging 28 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting nearly 49% from the field and 38% from three.

Of course, Leonard also remains one of the best, if not the best two-way stars in the league, and his importance has only increased following James Harden’s exit. The Clippers are somewhat removed from playoff relevance and currently sit below the .500 mark despite an uptick in form.

They currently sit 10th in the West with a 27-30 record and are largely dependent on Kawhi’s health if they get to the postseason. However, fans will be pleased to see how he has continued to perform at a high level despite the ankle problem.

Leonard played a vital role against the Lakers and kept his team in the game till the end. The Clippers could have easily won the game if he hadn’t been forced to do so, and his 37-point performance against the Magic despite the injury shows what he brings to the table.

For now, fans will hope that he recovers soon.

The Boston Celtics are back from the All-Star break on a mission. They beat the Golden State Warriors in their first game after the break and had a solid start against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

The Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, behind the Detroit Pistons. And they have won 10 of their last 13. The Celtics are hoping to continue their winning ways against the Lakers on a night when the franchise will honor legendary head coach Pat Riley.

The Celtics weren’t fazed in the first half. They took a 60–50 lead into the locker room at halftime, and they had stellar performances from starters Jaylen Brown (13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists) and Derrick White (10 points, 5 assists) and Payton Pritchard (11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) off the bench.

Pritchard made an incredible move when he hit a Step-back 3-point shot In the middle of the second quarter. During the game, he pretended as if he was going inside and Laker defender Jared Vanderbilt drove towards the paint. Instead, Pritchard took a step back and hit a 3-pointer. As the shot hit the net, Vanderbilt lost his balance and fell to the floor, 20 feet away from Pritchard.

If that wasn’t enough, Pritchard had the ball as the clock ran out in the final moments of the second quarter. As soon as the horn sounded, he hit a long 3-pointer over Luka Doncic, giving the Celtics a 10-point lead midway through the game.

Brooklyn Nets center Nick Claxton may be sidelined for long due to an ankle injury. Claxton has missed the team’s last two games after injuring an ankle during practice on Wednesday. However, he is available to return during Sunday’s matchup with the Atlanta Hawks.

Brooklyn is in desperate need of frontcourt reinforcements after two consecutive losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Nets’ offense stepped up during their first appearance during the All-Star break. Jordi Fernandez’s team averaged 85.0 points on 35.5 percent shooting from the field and 23.3 percent from three with 16.5 turnovers per game in the pair of losses.

Nick Claxton returns from injury for the Nets after two big losses in a row

With Claxton sidelined, De’Ron Sharp was Brooklyn’s only available center. Rookie first-round pick Danny Wolf, who has spent most of the season on the wing, filled the backup center minutes.

Claxton should get a significant offensive boost upon his return. The veteran big man has had the most productive offensive season of his career, averaging 12.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 59.0 percent shooting in 50 appearances.

Wins in the upcoming contests against the Hawks and Dallas Mavericks would undo some of the recent progress Brooklyn has made in the tank race. After three consecutive losses, the Nets have dropped to third in the draft lottery standings. They are in second place, one game behind the Indiana Pacers.

Ziare Williams will be sidelined for Brooklyn on Sunday due to personal reasons. Atlanta will be without Jonathan Kuminga because of a left kneecap injury.

The Hawks have lost four of their last five games, including a blowout 128-97 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday.

The hits keep coming for the Los Angeles Clippers; Still without Darius Garland, the key player they got in exchange for James Harden, they lost John Collins to a serious head injury in Friday night’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers.

To make matters worse, the Clippers will now be without Kawhi Leonard for the final few minutes of a close game against the Purple and Gold, as Tomer Azharli beat a ClutchPoints reporter.

Leonard was experiencing pain in his left ankle, and it looked as if he had dislocated it on the first play of the fourth when he attempted to post up and the ball slipped out of his grasp. The Clippers star was treading cautiously, and now, the team is opting to play it safe, refusing to risk any more losses to their best player.

Leonard scored 31 points on 11-19 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and five assists, before being forced to leave the game due to an ankle injury.

Things go from bad to worse for the plucky Clippers

To say that this season has not gone according to plan by any means for the Clippers would be a huge understatement. Leonard’s alleged involvement in a cap rigging business tied to a bankrupt company called Aspiration got this season off to a bad start for the Clippers, and now, LA is going to be without two key players at such a crucial point in the season.

The Clippers were one win away from reaching the .500 mark, which is a borderline miracle considering their 6-21 start to the season, but their loss to the Lakers has delayed their spectacular climb for the time being. If Leonard, Collins and Garland miss even more time, the onus will be on Benedict Mathurin to lead the team in scoring.

The Orlando Magic will return from All-Star weekend facing new adversity.

With a road matchup against the Sacramento Kings (12-44) scheduled for Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, Orlando (28-25) will move on without star forward Franz Wagner, who has been ruled out indefinitely as he recovers from left ankle sprain-related soreness.

Speaking at Thursday’s practice, Paolo Banchero stressed patience as Wagner works toward a full recovery.

“I mean he’s one of the key members of our team and you know we need him, but at the same time we don’t want him to come back before he’s ready and so it’s unfortunate,” Banchero said.

“You know, he came back in and out twice and then he had to be out again, so I want him to take his time – however long it takes – and get completely healthy because we don’t want him to go out there if he’s not feeling like himself. So, I think the biggest thing is to let him take his time to get healthy.”

Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley highlight Franz Wagner’s value beyond the box score

The 24-year-old Wagner is in his fifth NBA season and remains a central figure in Orlando’s offense. In 28 games, he has averaged 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per contest, while shooting 47.9% from the field and 36.5% from 3-point range in 31.8 minutes per game.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley underlined Wagner’s value beyond the box score, pointing to his work ethic and leadership within the locker room.

“I mean, there aren’t words that can explain what Franz means to this team, his toughness, his resiliency, his desire and desire to get back on the court,” Mosley said.

“Every guy on this team knows his work ethic and his care factor for this group. There aren’t many words that can describe it for this group, but also for him. I talked to him last night and talked about his ability and said he just wants to be on the field and that’s what’s been hardest, but also understanding how capable this group is of achieving the things that we say we want to do, even with him being out for this amount of time.”

Magic’s Moritz Wagner opens up about brother Franz’s emotional battle

Wagner’s absence also holds a personal dimension for teammate and brother Moritz Wagner.

“I mean, first of all, it sucks because he’s my brother and you have a pretty high-level relationship and he’s obviously not happy with it and he’s struggling emotionally and all that stuff,” Moritz said.

“You don’t like to see that happen for a family member. Obviously for us as players, big as well because he has such a big impact on the game but mainly I care more about the guy and I feel really bad for him.”

Moritz said recovery extends beyond physical rehabilitation.

“I think my biggest advice is and what I’ve learned is that it only works out well when you’re emotionally free, peaceful and relaxed,” she said.

“You can’t fight it every day, so having a time frame in which you’re doing your rehabilitation rather than a day-to-day structure is more peaceful for the mind and more efficient for the body to recover, and I think he’s been adapting to that over the last few days and we’ll see in three weeks. But it’s so nice to have that time to rest.” [the] Let the mind and body do their work and be ready when you are ready.

As Orlando begins the final stretch of the regular season, the organization has made clear that its priority is to ensure Wagner returns to full strength rather than sending him back before he is ready.

The Brooklyn Nets will begin the second half of the season without their starting center. Nick Claxton sprained his right ankle during practice on Wednesday. Brooklyn ruled him out for Thursday’s road matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Claxton has put together one of the best statistical seasons of his career after an injury-filled 2024-25 campaign. The longtime Nets forward averaged 12.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 blocks on 59.0 percent shooting in 50 appearances.

Brooklyn assigned a grade to Claxton’s ankle sprain, but his absence Thursday is notable for a team involved in the NBA’s tank race. With the Nets battling for draft position, they should not rush Claxton back from his injury.

Nick Claxton ruled out of the nets after injuring ankle during practice

Brooklyn begins the second half of the season ranked fifth in the draft lottery standings, one game behind the second-place Washington Wizards and 1.5 ahead of the sixth-place Utah Jazz. Many of the teams competing with the Nets at the bottom of the standings have recently dropped top players.

The Sacramento Kings ruled out Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine for the season, and the Utah Jazz signed Jaren Jackson Jr. out for the season. Meanwhile, Trae Young and Anthony Davis are sidelined indefinitely for the Washington Wizards. The same goes for Ivica Zubac with the Indiana Pacers.

The Nets face a tough upcoming schedule, with 12 of their next 17 games coming against teams with winning records. They have the sixth-hardest remaining strength in the NBA overall.

De’Ron Sharp will step in as Brooklyn’s starting center with Claxton sidelined. Sharp has continued to look like one of the NBA’s top backup centers this season, averaging 8.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals on 61.1 percent shooting in 18.5 minutes per game.

Danny Wolf and Noah Clowney should see time under center with the Nets’ second unit during Claxton’s absence.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will be sidelined indefinitely coming out of the NBA All-Star break after needing additional time and pain to recover from a left ankle sprain, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The team released a statement on Wednesday, saying Wagner was experiencing soreness in his left ankle and would need additional time to heal after the All-Star break. Wagner will be reevaluated in about three weeks.

The injury first occurred on December 7 against the New York Knicks, and Wagner missed 16 consecutive games. Although he returned to play in his hometown of Berlin on January 15 and again overseas in London, England on January 18, Wagner missed nine consecutive games to deal with his ankle injury.

In his lengthy absence, Anthony Black has emerged as a key weapon in Orlando alongside Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bain.

Wagner, who missed 25 of the Magic’s last 29 games due to an ankle injury, has played in only 28 games this season due to various injuries. This directly resulted in Orlando having a mediocre 28–25 record at the All-Star break.

Since the start of the 2024–25 season, Wagner and Banchero have played just 58 games together. When both players are on the court, the Magic are 29-29 overall.

Wagner isn’t the only player to miss significant time this season for the Magic, as Jalen Suggs has missed a total of 20 games so far on the season due to various injuries. Most recently, Suggs suffered a Grade 1 right MCL injury in the knee, and he missed eight consecutive games.

The good news for Orlando is that Suggs has played in each of the Magic’s last seven games before the All-Star break. Additionally, the Magic are still not fully developed this season and Wagner, Banchero, Suggs and Benn are on the court with each other for consecutive games.

In his 28 games this season, Wagner is averaging 21.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor.