Paul Pierce might miss week with sprained ankle, bruised knee

Paul Pierce and the Los Angeles Clippers dodged a bullet on Monday when the veteran forward suffered a sprained ankle and a bruised knee.

Pierce landed awkwardly after making a second-quarter layup. He crumpled to the floor, right leg pinned beneath him, writhing in pain.

Late Monday night, the Clippers said Pierce suffered a sprained right ankle as well as a bruised right knee. He is expected to miss about a week.

Pierce is averaging a career-low 17-plus minutes per game. That number might even drop more once forward Blake Griffin returns Sunday after being out the past three months.