J.J. Redick admitted Tuesday that an MRI revealed that he had a “partial tear” of his left quad muscle and not just a bruised quad as the Clippers reported to the media.
But Redick said he now felt “great” enough to practice Monday and Tuesday and to be available to play Wednesday night in his first exhibition game when the Clippers host the Utah Jazz at Staples Center.
Redick said he had a contusion from the first day of training camp in San Diego earlier this month and then his leg “bothered” him on the last day of training camp. He said he tried to practice two days after the Clippers returned to Los Angeles after an off day, but was “just dragging my leg.”
So the Clippers shut down Redick.
“It was a partial tear muscle in there, but it was not serious,” Redick said before practice. “But it was significant enough that two weeks of rest was the required time off. It wasn’t just a thigh bruise or anything like that. I probably would have been able to play through that.”
Redick said the main thing is now getting back into shape and learning to play with point guard Chris Paul.
Clippers Coach Doc Rivers he plans on playing Redick “as much as his body can take” against the Jazz.
“There might be some minutes restrictions or something" Wednesday, Redick said. “But there was no residual soreness from yesterday, so I should be a go.”
Rookie guard Reggie Bullock, who had been out all training camp with a left knee injury, also practiced Monday and Tuesday. Matt Barnes, who has been out since the team left camp in San Diego almost three weeks ago with a sore left calf, didn’t practice either day.
Rivers said Barnes is hoping to practice by “Thursday or Friday.”
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