The Los Angeles Clippers face the New Orleans Pelicans in their first matchup of the NBA Cup, and expectations are high for an intense contest. Every game matters in this new tournament format, and the Suns will need all their stars available. That’s why one key question has emerged among fans: Will Bradley Beal play tonight?
Bradley Beal has missed the last two games for the Los Angeles Clippers due to lower back soreness. He initially suffered the injury while taking a charge during the Clippers’ home win against the Phoenix Suns earlier this week.
According to the Clippers’ latest injury report ahead of their Friday night matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, Beal is not listed and is expected to return. Without him, the Clippers have shown mixed performances—posting an impressive home win over the Portland Trail Blazers but falling heavily to the Golden State Warriors on the road.
Beal continues to recover from knee surgery he underwent during the offseason. The veteran guard had an arthroscopic procedure in May following his second season with the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Clippers.
What did Tyronn Lue say about Beal’s absence?
Beal only played the first half of the Clippers’ final preseason game against the Warriors and has appeared in just two NBA games so far, totaling 40 minutes. After the loss to the Warriors, head coach Tyronn Lue emphasized how much the team misses Beal’s presence early in the season.
“I think teams are trying to pressure us more, but we are missing a key component, which is Bradley Beal — a shooter, a playmaker, a guy who can handle the basketball as well,” Lue said after the defeat to Golden State.
“When you add that to the mix, it makes us better. But we just can’t have the offensive lulls we’ve been having. It’s about combinations and the guys we have on the floor. I like our second unit staggering James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, but that didn’t happen against the Warriors once they got tired, and that put us in a tough spot.”
Bradley Beal’s numbers so far
Through two games played, Beal is averaging 5.5 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.0 assist as he continues to build rhythm and chemistry with his new teammates. There’s no doubt he has much more to show once he fully regains his conditioning and adjusts to the Clippers’ system.