LIVINGSTON'S INJURY 'SERIOUS' WRECKED KNEE WILL KEEP CLIPS GUARD OUT 8-12 MONTHS.

Byline: JOE STEVENS

Staff Writer

An MRI exam Tuesday on Clippers' point guard Shaun Livingston's dislocated left knee revealed tears to the anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and lateral meniscus.

The only ligament he did not tear was the lateral collateral ligament.

There had been doubt about whether Livingston had dislocated his knee or dislocated his knee cap. Clippers physician Dr.Tony Daly cleared that up -- Livingston dislocated both.

"It's probably the most serious injury you can have to a knee," Daly said. "It's the most serious injury I've seen in my 24 years with the Clippers."

The time frame for a possible return to basketball was set at eightto 12 months, but even that may be in question because of all of the variables involved with surgery -- or surgeries -- and rehab.

"He might miss all of next year," Daly said. "But he works hard. He's 21, and that's a big plus."

For the next two weeks, Daly and the Clippers will be getting opinions from the top knee specialists in the country to determine the best way to go about surgery.

A torn ACL, PCL or MCL is serious on its own, and Daly's initial idea is that it would be best to repair them together with one surgery.

He is open to other possibilities, and repairing them individually, if that's shown to be the best option.

"The question is how you restore the movement," Daly said. "The injury is very unusual. I've never seen it in basketball. It's more commonly associated with football."

Livingston came down on the knee on a fast-break layup miss in Monday night's 100-93 victory over Charlotte. A defender was chasing him, but he had no contact with the defender.

Not only is the injury a huge blow to Livingston's career, but also to the Clippers, who consider him their "point guard of their future."

His salary is $3.4 million this season and $4.4 million next season.

Next year will be Livingston's fourth season in the league, the same season as Clippers center Chris Kaman is in now. When Kaman signed a five- year, $52 million contract before the start of this season, Livingston expressed his desire to try to get a similar deal this summer.

Not only is that in doubt, but his entire career is in doubt because of the wear and tear that basketball has on the knee. He dislocated his other kneecap during his rookie season, and missed 39 games.

Although Livingston and the long-term ramifications of his injury are the main concern for the Clippers, the short term is also problematic.

Livingston had been developing as the team's point guard, and the team's other point guard, 37-year-old Sam Cassell, has been hobbled by various injuries this season.

With the trade deadline past, the Clippers have no way to find a replacement for Livingston, other than giving second-year guard Daniel Ewing more playing time. There is also the possiblity signing a point guard who is not in the league.

"It definitely hurts," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said about losing Livingston. "But we have to regroup and try to continue to play good basketball."

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(color) Clippers physician Tony Daly, on Shaun Livingston: "It's the most serious injury I've seen in my 24 years."

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

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- Joe Stevens