The Los Angeles Clippers were dealt a tremendous blow Tuesday as starting guard Chauncey Billups was ruled out for the rest of the NBA season with a torn left Achilles tendon.
Billups, a five-time all-star, suffered the injury with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ overtime win on Monday over the Orlando Magic. After missing a 3-point shot, Billups was going for the offensive rebound when he crumpled to the floor in obvious pain.
As play went the other way, Billups assessed his injury and knew right away something was terribly wrong.
“When I first went down, it felt like someone kind of kicked me,” Billups said. “But when I tried to get back up and step on it, I didn’t feel anything and I knew it was something I had never felt before and I knew it was bad.”
Tests taken Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic confirmed the Achilles tear, a serious injury requiring eight months of recovery time. Billups returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday. Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said Billups will meet with a specialist before it’s decided when he’ll have surgery.
Despite the devastating injury, Billups, 35, assured fans he has no plans of hanging up his sneakers just yet.
“No, sir. My career is definitely not over,” Billups told reporters. “There is no way I’m going to crawl out of the league.I’m going to be back. Trust me.”
Prior to his injury, Chauncey Billups , whom the Clippers claimed off waivers in December , was averaging 14.9 points and 4.0 assists in 30.4 minutes per contest this season.
