Caron Butler Injury Dooms Los Angeles Clippers' Postseason Hopes

The euphoria of the Clippers epic Game 1 comeback over the Grizzlies has masked the fact that any hope they had at making a deep run in these playoffs vanished when Caron Butler broke his hand in the third quarter.

NBA.com is reporting that this injury has likely ended the small forward's season. 

This is not an injury the Clippers can successfully withstand. 

Butler has proved a nice athletic wing scorer with a solid three point stroke for the Clippers. On the season he is averaging 12 points and 3.7 rebounds at just under 30 minutes per game. Butler has also been very solid on defense. 

These aren't All-Star numbers, but it is a vital contribution that they will not be able to replace. This is reflected in their numbers over the course of the season. 

When Butler is on the court, the Clippers have outscored opponents by seven points per 100 possessions. When he is not playing, they are being outscored at a rate of nearly four points per 100 possessions. 

The Clippers just don't have the depth to replace him. They will now have the option of turning to a small lineup with Nick Young taking Butler's spot, or compromise their offense with Bobby Simmons. 

Either option is less than optimal. Young will provide more offense, but he is going to have a hard time stopping bigger and more physical small forwards. Teams will isolate him in post-up situations and the Clippers will have to send help his way. 

Meanwhile, Simmons will bring next to nothing on the offensive end. While he has a much better chance of surviving in the post, he is not a terrific on-ball defender. 

The Clippers will still have a chance winning this series, but they can forget about making a deep run.