Paul George Shoots With Right Hand During Practice

Paul George continues to make progress toward a possible return from a torn ligament in his right elbow, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. At today’s practice, George shot with his right hand for the first time since suffering the injury, offering some encouragement to the Clippers‘ coaching staff.

Murray cautions that George is still limited to a 17-foot shooting range, and his next MRI on the elbow hasn’t been scheduled. With five weeks left in the regular season and an appearance in the play-in tournament seeming likely, the Clippers are operating on a tight window to get George back.

After some prodding, coach Tyronn Lue said George is “doing better,” tweets Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, who also posted a video of George putting up shots.

George was posting All-Star numbers at 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per night before spraining the elbow in a December 6 game. He rested for two weeks, but was only able to play in two more games before the team announced on December 25 that he had a torn UCL.

The Clippers have managed to remain in the playoff race without George and Kawhi Leonard, who hasn’t played at all this season after having surgery on a partially torn ACL that he suffered during last year’s playoffs. L.A. is currently eighth in the West at 34-31.

The team hasn’t given any indication that George or Leonard will return this season, but they also haven’t officially been ruled out. If George is able to take the court again, it could provide incentive for Leonard, although a report on his progress last month sounded pessimistic.