Presentation for RDS and Sportish of the first two games of the series between the Raptors and the 76ers: Saturday 6 p.m. and Monday 7:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES – Paul George is subject to the NBA Health and Safety Protocol and will therefore miss the Los Angeles Clippers qualifier against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

“We mourn Paul and wish him a speedy recovery,” said Clippers basketball president Lawrence Frank, confirming George’s absence from the Crypto.com Arena.

Frank said George was unwell on Thursday and the team learned of the diagnosis Friday morning. The Clippers did not specify the nature of the diagnosis.

George’s absence is a blow to the Clippers’s hopes of making the NBA playoffs. The California team must prevail to become the eighth team to qualify for the Western playoffs and face the NBA leaders, the Phoenix Suns, in the first round.

George had 34 points in a 109-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night in the first game of the qualifiers. The setback prevented the Clippers from finishing seventh in the standings and facing the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.

The Clippers are 22-25 without George this season.