DeAndre Jordan[1] stretched his long legs while seated inside the Smoothie King Center and smiled, his left forearm bandaged to cover the remnants from the car accident he had been involved in Tuesday that he called a "scary" moment.
He kept his vow to play Wednesday night, starting at center for the Clippers[2] against the New Orleans Pelicans[3] despite being in the accident in Playa del Rey on his way to Los Angeles International Airport for the team's flight here.
During the game, Jordan wore a long black sleeve over his left forearm to cover up the cuts from the minor accident.
"We can't afford for anybody else to be out," said Jordan, who had 13 points and 25 rebounds. "I'm just very fortunate that I'm OK and everybody else that was involved is OK."
Jordan said the report that Chris Paul[4] was also involved in the accident was incorrect.
"CP was not involved in the accident. I think people are just taking the State Farm thing too serious. You know what I mean? Like, 'Yeah, Cliff Paul was on the scene,' " Jordan jokingly said about the commercial he's in with Paul.
Jordan actually called Paul after the accident. Paul and a Clippers staff member assisted Jordan and Paul drove him to the airport.
"I'm very lucky and so are the other people that were involved," Jordan said. "I'm just glad that I got some support from everybody here."
Jordan said his Tesla was totaled in the accident.
"I won't be seeing that car ever again," Jordan said.
Not long after everything was taken care of, Jordan immediately thought about what Clippers Coach Doc Rivers[5] would say to his big center.
"Yeah, it was scary. I was like, 'Damn, Doc's going to be pissed. I'm late to the flight,' " Jordan said, laughing. "But, naw, I'm lucky, man. I'm just glad everybody is OK."
Injury update
J.J. Redick[6] missed his second consecutive game with a sore left hamstring.
Rivers said there was a "better chance" that Redick plays against the Houston Rockets[7] on Friday night.
"I just got to be smart," Redick said.
broderick.turner@latimes.com[8]
Twitter: @BA_Turner[9]
References
- ^ DeAndre Jordan (www.latimes.com)
- ^ Los Angeles Clippers (www.latimes.com)
- ^ New Orleans Pelicans (www.latimes.com)
- ^ Chris Paul (www.latimes.com)
- ^ Doc Rivers (www.latimes.com)
- ^ J.J. Redick (www.latimes.com)
- ^ Houston Rockets (www.latimes.com)
- ^ broderick.turner@latimes.com (www.latimes.com)
- ^ @BA_Turner (twitter.com)
