LOS ANGELES, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Corey Maggette, who has been having the best season of his career, will be sidelined 4-6 weeks with torn knee cartilage.
The Clippers have placed Maggette on the injured list. He will undergo an arthroscopic procedure in the next two days to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.
Starting at small forward in place of the injured Lamar Odom, Maggette was averaging a career-high 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per contest in 14 games this season, his fourth in the NBA out of Duke, and third with the Clippers.
Maggette experienced swelling in the knee during a win over Detroit on Nov. 3. An MRI taken the following day showed a slight cartilage tear, but Maggette chose to continue playing.
"I think he pushed it to the point of losing his effectiveness," said Coach Alvin Gentry. "And one thing about Corey, if he says he's hurt, then he's really hurt."
He is the latest member of the Clippers to spend time on the injured list. In addition to Odom, guard Quentin Richardson was activated from the IL last week.
"It's the same way we'll approach it without Lamar," Gentry said. "We can sit here and whine about it, but that's no good. Injuries are a part of the game."
To replace Maggette on the roster, the Clippers activated rookie forward Melvin Ely, the 12th overall pick in the 2002 draft, who went on the IL on Oct. 28 with a sprained left foot.
