Clippers’ Rivers in rare form during homecoming
Over a two-day span, life became good for Austin Rivers.
The concussion that forced Rivers to miss the last game was no longer an issue. He passed the tests that allowed him to play against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
And play he did, scoring a season-high 25 points as the starting small forward in front of family members and friends in what was a homecoming game for the 6-foot-4 guard who attended Winter Park High.
On Tuesday night, Rivers had his high school No. 25 jersey retired in a ceremony attended by all his teammates, the Clippers’ coaching staff and his family and friends.
Then he goes nine-for-12 from the field, seven-for-10 from three-point range against Orlando.
“It’s good to have a good game anywhere,” Rivers said. “But I’d be lying to you if I said it’s not a little more fun to do it here.”
Rivers missed the Portland game Monday night because of a concussion, but had passed all the NBA’s concussion protocol tests Wednesday morning.
He went through a series of tests that included being examined by two doctors, a computer test, running on a treadmill and riding a bike and some one-on-one drills.
“I had to take every test,” Rivers said. “I did well in all of them. So I feel normal.”
Rivers checked back into that Pelicans game in the fourth quarter but only lasted a few seconds before departing for good.
“I didn’t know if I just got hit hard or whatever,” Rivers said. “When I went back in there to play, that’s when I knew I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on.’ ”
The Clippers had to make an extra effort to attend Rivers’ jersey retirement because the bus taking them to his high school had a flat tire on the freeway, leaving them stranded. But they called Uber and everyone made it to the ceremony.
“Definitely a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life for sure,” Rivers said.
Injury update
Luc Mbah a Moute sat out the Magic game because of a bruised right shoulder suffered in the Portland game Monday night.
He said he’s not sure when he’ll play again, but hopes it’ll be Friday night at Miami.
“It’s sore and painful right now,” he said. “I have all the range of motion that I want. But hopefully this is the last game I miss.”
Twitter: @BA_Turner
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