Sports Out West West Coast sports news, scores & analysis — with a national perspective. Los Angeles Lakers key reserve Jordan Hill will miss the remainder of the 2012-13 NBA season after receiving news from doctors that he will require surgery to repair a torn ligament in his hip.
New story: Jordan Hill will likely need season-ending hip surgery es.pn/ZSjtV7
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 12, 2013
Jordan Hill says he’s “heartbroken” over his season-ending injury. Expects to miss about 6 months
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 12, 2013
Depressing listening to Jordan Hill’s post-game interview. Says surgery’s mandatory….
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) January 12, 2013
Hill, 25, suffered the injury during a Jan. 3 loss to the Denver Nuggets on an awkward fall under the basket. After initially being tabbed as out indefinitely, news came on Friday that he will need surgery that will cause him to miss at roughly six months of action.
The news couldn’t come at a worse time for Los Angeles, who lost their sixth straight game the same evening. Hill was a primary source of energy off the bench, and his absence means that the team will now rely on untested players like Earl Clark and Robert Sacre to help dig the team out of the 15-21 hole they’re in as they fight to remain in the playoff picture.
In 29 games this season, Hill has started once and averaged 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. He’s averaged 2.8 offensive rebounds per game and plays with outstanding energy.
As the Lakers are forced to move on without Hill, they’ll square off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in an effort to snap their longest losing streak of the season.
