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Magic move on without Nelson vs. Clippers

Feb 4, 2009 - 11:15 AM LA Clippers (10-38) at Orlando (36-11) 7:00 p.m. EST

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- With the prospect of their floor leader being lost for the season looming, the Orlando Magic will attempt to move on.

The Magic will be without All-Star guard Jameer Nelson when they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Nelson will be sidelined indefinitely after an MRI on Tuesday revealed a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Nelson suffered the injury in the third quarter of Monday's 105-95 loss to the Mavericks. The five-year veteran was knocked to the floor by Dallas center Erick Dampier and immediately left the game in obvious pain. There is no timetable for his return.

"At some point and time, he's going to have to have surgery. That's a given," Orlando general manager Otis Smith said. "There are no ifs, ands or buts about it."

Smith is unsure of the timing.

"There are two schools of thought here. One, you rehab it, you get the range of motion back, the strength back and you go out and play and then you do surgery in the offseason," the general manager said.

"The second school of thought is you do surgery immediately and you are done for the year. Either way, he's going to have to have it repaired."

The long-term absence of Nelson, who is averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists, could be damaging to the Magic (36-11), who own the fourth-best record in the NBA and are competing with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Clippers have had plenty of injuries of their own, though their hopes for the season were not nearly as high.

Los Angeles is tied for the worst record in the NBA and has dropped six in a row. Baron Davis has participated in the last four setbacks after a 13-game absence and is averaging 9.5 points since his return.