LA Clipper Guard Chauncey Billups Has Torn Achilles Tendon, Out for Season
Chauncey Billups is out for the rest of the season. The Los Angeles Clipper’s guard tore his left Achilles tendon on Monday night and an MRI yesterday confirmed that the tendon is torn. Billups will be out for the rest of the season, but his career could also be in jeopardy. The Clippers lost Monday night to the Orlando Magic in overtime with a score of 107-102. Billups was seen by the opposing team’s doctor after the game.
Billups will miss eight months at the very least, but there have been other players that never returned from similar injuries. Most notably was the great Isiah Thomas. He was 33 when his career was cut short in 1994 by a torn Achilles tendon. Billups has become a leader for the Clippers. He’s the veteran on the court at 35. The Clippers got Billups in a trade right after they acquired Chris Paul this season. Paul said that Billups is the best guard he’s ever seen in the back-court. Paul also said that he trusts Billups with everything, both on and off the basketball court.
This is Billups first season with the Clippers. He’s averaged 15 points a game, as well as four assists. He was the third pick in the draft back in 1997. The Boston Celtics picked him up that year and he’s played for seven NBA teams over his career. Four of those seven teams he has played with in the last five years. Billups was a member of the Pistons in 2004 when they won the championship. He went to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson in 2004, who traded him to New York last February. That deal was part of one that included a total of 13 players with Minnesota last year.
The Clippers currently stand at 15-7 for the season and the loss of Billups will be a big blow to the team.
