Clippers’ Powell out ‘a little longer,’ says Lue

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — The LA Clippers will have to wait before they are complete again as the sixth man Norman Powell remains out with a shoulder injury.

Powell will miss his sixth straight game on Saturday against the Orlando Magic due to a left shoulder subluxation suffered at Golden State on March 2.

Head coach Ty Lue said Powell was not scheduled to practice with the team on Friday.

“He’s going to be out for a little bit longer,” Lue said. “… she’s out”.

Powell has been a key player for the team off the bench, averaging 16.6 points on 41% shooting from 3. The Clippers have 12 games left in the season and have begun to find a rhythm with the new players acquired in February. russell westbrook, eric gordon and mason plumlee everyone is beginning to feel comfortable with their roles and minutes.

Lue was asked if he has any concerns trying to rehire Powell when he returns to the team playing some of its best basketball of last season.

“We always have concerns because Norm is a big part of what we’ve done all year,” Lue said. “When a guy is out that long and then you have a streak and you’re playing good basketball, you’re always worried about it. But he sees how we’re playing.”

“We’re playing the right way and he’s been great for us all year, so he shouldn’t, it won’t be hard to get him back on board. Just keeping him healthy is the most important thing, and we just want to make sure he gets enough games so that It doesn’t happen like it did last year when he had to come back for those last two play-in games – he had no rhythm… and it really was unfair to him. So I just hope we can get him back sooner rather than later.”