In between Preston’s and Leonard’s appearances, the Clippers got ready for their first game out of break against the Los Angeles Lakers, a nationally televised contest between two teams right in the middle of the Western Conference’s Play-In race. Providing a backdrop to the game are the pending results of an MRI to gauge the progress of Paul George’s torn UCL in his right elbow, a diagnosis made exactly two months earlier on Christmas Day. Optimism has been guarded but positive for George this month, who has been resting his elbow but otherwise working out and staying in shape for the past several weeks in anticipation of a possible return in March, sources told The Athletic.