Chauncey Billups and Achilles Tendons
by Steve Perrin on Feb 7, 2012 1:46 AM PST
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PrintI'm not a doctor, but I am a Clippers fan. And, as it happens, I've also ruptured an Achilles tendon in my mid-30s.
Watching the replay of Chauncey's injury, I knew immediately it was the Achilles. It's the classic Achilles injury -- pushing off moving forward, like you're coming out of the starter's blocks in a sprint. In Chauncey's case he was changing directions, backpedaling and then trying to quickly move forward after a lose ball. The way his foot was extended, the way he went down, it was all too familiar. Yup, that's an Achilles injury.
But is it a strain or a tear? If it's a tear, is it a full tear or a partial tear? These things we won't know for certain until tomorrow. But players know their bodies, and if the mood in the Clippers locker room was as grim as reported, then Chauncey likely knows already that he's done for the season -- at least.
It's a shame for Chauncey, and for the Clippers, but it also happens to be at the position at which the Clippers can most afford an injury. Think about it. Obviously, the team can ill afford to lose either Chris Paul or Blake Griffin. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan is the only true big on the team, not to mention that they've been thin up front all season. And we know what the alternatives to Caron Butler at small forward look like. On the other hand, the team is deep at the guard, and the simple solution in the short term is to slot Randy Foye into the starting lineup, and continue to bring Mo Williams off the bench. Is Foye a downgrade from Billups? Sure. But statistically, not as much as you might think so far this season. Overall, it moves Caron Butler up a notch in the pecking order, leaving Foye as the fourth option on offense, which is about where he should be. Meanwhile, Vinny Del Negro now knows that Mo Williams is part of the lineup that closes games, rather than having to decide between Williams and Billups on a nightly basis.
If the Clippers really want J.R. Smith (which I'm not convinced is a great idea), this might even help get him here. New York could have unquestionably offered him a bigger role before Billups went down -- now, suddenly, J.R. could be looking at starting next to his former teammate Chris Paul. And at least with Smith they Clippers would be adding some size on the wing.
I feel sorry for Billups if this injury is as bad as I suspect it is. He's been a pro's pro his entire career, and it would be a shame if it were to end this way. We'll see what comes of the MRI tomorrow, and go from there. Regardless, Billups will be a big part of this team moving forward, as a de facto additional assistant coach if not as a player.
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much respect for Billups
I hope it was just a strain and an over reaction with all the emotions after a huge game. I hope people are right but I see the loss of Billups being a huge impact as our team is currently built. I just don’t have the same faith in Foye as a starter I know his production picks up in that role but Billups just brought so much that don’t even show up in the stat sheet the little things. Billups was far from lighting the world on fire with his play but just the look in his eyes compared to Foye that determination the competitive force that Paul relates to in respected is going to be missed.
With all that I hope we can make it through this and Foye comes through big and Billups can I was back in a month and a half. Its time for Bledsoe to earn his stay.
Go Clippers!!
by KillaClip on Feb 7, 2012 2:03 AM PST via mobile reply actions
lol some slips
But in general the threat of Billups was our biggest secret weapon in the playoffs the guy just knows how to get a team to at least the conference finals. Damn this hurts
Very true - it would be a shame to cut his career short in this way (if it happens).
He’s a pro’s pro who’s made the most of his talents and whilst statisically we may not miss him massively (I’m quite OK with Foye as a backup – I think he’ll step up), his leadership will be missed on the floor.
He’s a calming influence and I always thought he’d have a higher post season value than regular season value.
I hope (and I am pretty sure he will knowing his character), help this team from the sidelines. He’s make a great assistant coach but from what he says, I think he’d maybe choose Denver as a first choice for that.
Fingers crossed for you Chauncey but thanks for everything you’ve done this year whichever way the injury goes.
Bingo! Oh me oh my!
oh man...
Chris Paul fought back tears when asked what Billups has meant to the team.
LA Times
Paul loves Billups
He said he has never played with a better backcourt player in his nba career. It may not make sense at this stage in Billups career but the knowledge of the game the fire I’m glad and know Billups will still travel with the team when he can.
then again DeAndre out a few funny picture of the team up in the bus and plane after the game
including Paul and they looked quite cheerful. Perhaps we are reading too much into these knee jerk reactions of the team.
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
"But can't the refs blow the whistle and stop play in certain situations?" Boltsfan21
by BelgianClipper on Feb 7, 2012 8:05 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah I was going to post about this
all of the tweets after the game were very cheerful so who knows what the real mood is like.
"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"unknown
Chauncey may not have been happy with the way he became a Clipper,
but he is a true professional and found a way to be happy to be a Clipper. Heck, he was even recruiting his friends to come join the Clippers (Kenyon and hopefully JR). This sucks but it’s not the end of the world. We are the #2 seed in the Western Conference and honestly I think we can stay at this spot even with Chauncey out. It’s clear our Clippers are a strong and close unit, Chauncey will find a way to help them win even if he has to do it wearing a suit on the sideline this season.
This may be a blessing in disguise
Billups can be the brains behind our coaching staff. we can use My Cousin Vinny as the puppet coach but have Billups act as the real coach
We need Billups mainly for his leadership
Clip Clip Hooray!
Mo will step up
He wanted a greater role – now he’s got it. We are lucky to have him.
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
I Truly Apologize To The Clippers Personnel and All Of Their Fellow Fans
I don’t believe in jinxes. I walk under ladders. However, my post yesterday about how injury free this Clippers team has been followed immediately by Billups injury is just too weird.
Of course my post had nothing to do with Billups injury. We all know that, don’t we?
If I had the time I’d start a petition on change.org and work to get you banned from commenting on here ;)
by gdl on Feb 7, 2012 7:33 AM PST up reply actions
Many teams are dealing with injuries to key players.
Some worse than others. Here are just a few.
Randolph-Grizzlies
Melo-Knicks
Blazers-Oden
Nugget-Gallinari (last hight)
Hawks-Hortford
Bucks-Boget
Hornets-EJ
Nets-Lopez
So I would not feeling guilty about a curse.
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
Mike, when did you change your little tag at the bottom to include Cheeky Samb? Just noticed that!
I bet he’s got a poster on his wall at home showing how he was a Brandon Roy defensive stopper!
Bingo! Oh me oh my!
2 days ago
I get bored and change it about once per month.
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
I really hope that it is just a strain.
In the event that it isn’t, do we waive him to free-up a roster spot? Do we keep him in hopes that he returns at reduced price? Will the organization have sense enough to keep him around as an assistant?
This team needs Chauncey’s presence, even if that means that he will be on the sidelines. He’ll still be in the huddles and helping prepare these guys for battle. If he is done for the season, I think that we need to hire him as an assistant coach, so that he’ll remain a part of the process. If we can go all the way, then he deserves the jewelry as well.
Proud member of Club FTR
I think they'll do whatever Chris Paul wants...
And I’d assume he wants Billups on the sideline. If his injury is of the season-ending variety and they have to add roster space, let them cut one of the rookies, not the guy with the big brain.
I do agree. I have to say I'm concerned.
If things are that serious with Chauncey, I really want to see the organization do right by him and the rest of the team. I don’t want Paul, Kenyon or any of the vets to be pissed off. I only don’t want to see us do anything that wouldn’t be considered classy.
Proud member of Club FTR
Yup.
I completely agree. It’s sad that we don’t expect our team to do the right thing. I guess we’re conditioned that way.
One thing that might affect them not keeping Billups on the roster is some sort of an insurance claim that requires him being removed from the roster. Then again… it might actually be the Knicks who insist Billups is waived, so they can recoup his salary. I certainly don’t know that’s the case, I’m just thinking out loud.
All NBA contracts are not insured against injury, but some are. I’ve no idea if Billups is one of them.
Damn! Basketball gods must have been angry yesterday.
I hope it was just a strain and he will be back on the floor in a month.
No, it's the Clip Show!
This happened before the law was broken!
by Michael White on Feb 7, 2012 8:45 AM PST up reply actions
ah, so it was the necessary sacrifice they required to ignore the law just this one time...
it wasn’t worth it…
We need Bill Walton back: "THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN...THROW IT DOWN"
___________
Follow @manlinessprime
Steve, can you tell us more about the specifics of the injury?
I know nothing about the ACL.
Does a tear recquire surgery?
Should we be blaming the short, compressed season?
If it’s a sprain, what’s that about? Does rehab require a cast?
Where is the ACL?
Etc.
Am I the only one having trouble with the Clipsnation interface?
Slow, I can’t post directly (have to go through preview), and I keep getting a “nothing here” page. Maybe it’s Chrome?
I Have Had Occassional Problems With SB Nation
from time to time. Most likely Java script. I have a number of Java script blockers in Firefox and sometimes they conflict. However, I have never noticed a problem unique to only Clips Nation.
The ACL is in the knee
This is an Achilles injury. It is the thick tendon on the back of your ankle.
As much as I would like to blame the injury on the compressed schedule or Chauncey’s age, it should be noted that lots of young players have suffered this injury. EB was under 30 when he ruptured his Achilles during a summer pick-up game with Chris Kaman.
It’s usually a freak thing. Trying to quickly move while the foot is planted. Didn’t look like much when it happened, but when I saw Billups grabbing at the back of his ankle, my heart sank. If it’s a full tear, he’ll be sidelined for the season.
I did note that he was able to put a bit of weight on it while being helped off the court. If the Achilles were fully torn, I don’t believe that would have been possible.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
it is possible to walk if its fully torn
i did that as soon as i got up from my tear and tried to walk on it (stupid i know)….the thing is you can walk, but you kind of have to use the injured leg as a peg leg, …you cant push off on it, so you have to push off with your healthy leg,…..if its torn, surgery is not necessarily required, however it takes just as long to heal anyway, i got surgery on mine 2 weeks later, had to wait for the swelling to go down….
Achilles, not ACL
As mikey pointed out, you had the wrong serious injury there.
The Achilles tendon, sometimes called an Achilles heel, is the part of the body by which Achilles’ mother, the nymph Thetis, held her son as she dipped him into the river Styx. The river made him invulnerable to injury, except in the place where she held him, his heel. Achilles, the principle warrior in the Trojan war, eventually died of a wound to his heel.
In the real world, you can have an Achilles repaired by surgery or by rest, depending on the severity of the tear. The recovery time is usually less with surgery, so athletes almost always elect for surgery. Recovery times vary, but for most athletes it’s usually 6 to 9 months before they are back on the court. However, it can also affect explosiveness going forward. Elton Brand injured his Achilles in August, played in a few games in late March, IIRC. That’s fairly typical. Regardless, if it’s torn, Chauncey is done for the season.
Like mikey said, Achilles injuries happen, and I wouldn’t necessarily attribute this one to the 66 game schedule. Chauncey’s age probably played a role to some extent (coincidentally, I was 35 when I blew mine out).
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Feb 7, 2012 12:31 PM PST up reply actions
hey steve, how long ago was your tear?
mine is 9 months ago, and my repaired achilles is way thicker then my healthy one…just wondering how long it takes for the scar tissue to go away
Mine?
Almost 15 years ago.
I never had surgery, figured I’d never play ball again. My left leg is a mess… I’ve got this massive calf muscle that somehow built up to compensate for… something. I don’t know. It’s really weird. Anyway, I started playing basketball again about four years after the injury, and still play. Now, at 49, the Achilles is the least of my worries. It’s knees and back that get me now… and the occasional ankle.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
If I ever meet you in person, Steve.
I apologize if the first thing I do is look at your calf. It’s undoubtedly Maggette-esque, if it’s compensating for a torn Achilles.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden
I have a similar problem
from being hit in the nuts about 15 years ago.
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
Isn't the ACL the liberal defense organization
that pisses off conservatives.
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
that's the ACLU
They are suppose to be non-partisan but often appear in the news backing some landmark cases usually leaning towards a more liberal position.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
supposed
The word is “supposed.”
Proudly enduring the pain since the days of Bill Walton's foot.
Now living the good life in Lob City, CA.
ATTN: CLIPPER NATION
I have been on Clipsnation for a while now. We are having an amazing season, but some of us are still leaving negative comments that refers to our past seasons of horrible luck, eg., injuries, Sterling, Jasen Powell, Free Agents, curses, etc. I want to end all these negative comments. If Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups asked Ralph Lawler about the teams we have losing streaks, which they are determined to end them, we should follow through and support this Clippers team. CP3 is by far the most positive guy on the team and he is our leader. Lets follow his lead. Chauncey might be out, but his heart and leadership is still with the team. I still see great things happening this season. GO CLIPPERS!!!
You want to end all the negative comments?
Really? This probably won’t get it done..
"Things change when something is taken away from you" -BG32
Negativity keeps us humble
Trying our hardest not to turn out like them.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden
Clipper Nation!
The Clippers played one of the toughest beginning schedules in the NBA and have come out on top in my opinion. The season has been building speed and right now in the middle of a six game road trip Billups gets hurt. How the Clippers respond with their game play will really show their true colors in my opinion. Throughout sports history there are many examples of when a team is able to make up for the loss of a star and still play to their full potential.
As an official sponsor of the Clippers 1-800LoanMart will be offering sweepstakes and promotions throughout the season! http://www.800loanmart.com/
1-800LoanMart is an official sponsor of the Los Angeles Clippers. We are the leading title loan lender in California and we also provide loans in Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico, Utah. Connect with us @800LoanMart or at http://www.800loanmart.com/
This sucks for Chauncey, but this could be a blessing in disguise
And for a number of reasons
1. Not that the Clippers didn’t have enough motivation to carry them far into the postseason (rafters at Staples is all I gotta say), but losing Chauncey will give them that extra motivation to do it for him, especially if the Clippers uni is the last one he’ll ever wear.
2. Chauncey you bet could or will help out as a sort of coach or adviser for the young squad, if he decided that he wants to do that. If not, it’s understandable why.
3. We’ll be able and kinda forced to bring back Bledsoe and he will have a lot to prove and he will produce, his quickness, after all, is what will make him a big piece of this squad from here on out.
4. Foye and Mo know their roles and their value to this team. Expect big numbers and big play from them both.
5. CP3 CP3 CP3 it’s all about CP3 and Vinny must do a precise job in managing his minutes. We CANNOT afford to lose Paul for any extended period of time. I’m glad that the hamstring injury is weeks removed and apparently that was related more to rust than being prone to injuries.
Donald heckled ME!!!
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Feb 7, 2012 9:54 AM PST reply actions
Totally agree
If this is the worse case scenario, I only see this as extra motivation for the Clippers. Especially with CP3 as our leader, this team will be stronger and more unified.
Beckham
I know Beckham had an achilles injury a few years back, I think he ruptured it. He came back after about 6 months. He was around Billups age(34) when the injury happened. He may not be back this season but at least there’s hope it’s not career ending. :(
I've never had an achillies tear/injury
however a buddy of mine tore his achilles really bad (it basically snapped like a rubber band) and was not able to walk for months. Based on what I know from his injury, the fact that Billups was even able to stand (with help), and put even the slightest amount of weight on it is a sign that Billups’s injury is not as severe as my friend’s was. Lets hope it was just a sprain or for Chauncey’s sake just a slight tear.
Screw 710.
they are already invoking the curse. But at the same time they are talking about having Howard and D. Will in their faker line up. Delusional.
Amazing how people get paid to spew such ludicrous statements.
But blame the audience. Blame people who actually believe in curses. Obviously it must be a curse because we’re the only team dealing with an injury.
by dulciusXasperis on Feb 7, 2012 11:38 AM PST up reply actions
Screw 710 indeed...
But you have to take that station for what it’s worth. They are the home of the Lakers and pimp out LAL all day long. Laker homerism is good for their business. If they were the radio home of the Clippers then it would be Clips homerism 24/7. In fact I remember Steve Mason claiming to be a Clipper fan back before 710 had the Lakers. I would say don’t listen to them, but I don’t know if there is a decent sports radio alternative. I am not a fan of 570, but I do listen from time to time.
I only like Max and Marcellus on 710
They’re the only ones that seem to keep it honest and are tongue and cheek about the Lakers homerism. Sometimes it’s hard to believe Mason was a Clipper fan the way he talks about them, but his brashness is part of his online personality. Ireland used to work for the Clippers, but it doesn’t seem like a good memory for him.
"Fact One: Races are won or lost in key moments. Fact Two: Success in the sport is, above all else, about enduring suffering." - Chris MacCormack
It is worse today as the Cammenti Bros are subbing for Marcelus Wiley
Wiley puts them in line when he is on. with a broader perspective.
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
Marcellus is pretty funny...and decent at exposing the Lakers-spin-cycle
We need Bill Walton back: "THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN...THROW IT DOWN"
___________
Follow @manlinessprime
Max used to be that way too
but the past few weeks he’s really been on the Laker train. Wonder if 710 management told him to cool it with the fair and balanced Clipper talk.
With Max you sometimes can't tell whether he's serious or kidding
He likes to use a lot of hyperbole, like always claiming how great he is. It’s very tongue and cheek.
"Fact One: Races are won or lost in key moments. Fact Two: Success in the sport is, above all else, about enduring suffering." - Chris MacCormack
There is no curse
It’s just an injury that happens because of several factors, one of which is the shortened season. I’m pretty sad that Chauncey might be out since he gives his all and is a great person to have on the team, but this stuff happens. I just hope it’s not career ending.
We have several guards that’ll fill in the hole. Like I said in the other thread, there’s no NEED for JR Smith. As long as Paul is healthy this is still a contender in the playoffs.
"Fact One: Races are won or lost in key moments. Fact Two: Success in the sport is, above all else, about enduring suffering." - Chris MacCormack
This can also effect any chance of him being on the Olympic Team
Maybe opens the door for EJ
"Cheikh Samb, the player who allowed us to emotionally move on from losing Keith Closs"
I don't think he was going to be on the team anyways
he definitely won’t after this.
"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"unknown
This is bad news
long term its not a big deal as it will be a revolving door at SG and SF over the next few years as CP3, DJ and BG make up the team’s long term foundation. Short-term it means the team loses its 2nd best play caller and now (if they weren’t already) need to start shopping Bledsoe for wing help (or sign JR Smith ASAP).
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
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