LOS ANGELES -- Clippers guard Jamal Crawford, who returned Saturday after a three-game absence, said he may have returned too soon and will miss at least Monday's game against the Phoenix Suns as he recovers from a strained left calf.
Crawford played only 10 minutes in the first half of Saturday's 109-108 win over the Atlanta Hawks but sat on the bench the entire second half as his left calf was heavily taped. He missed both of his shot attempts and finished with three points and one assist.
"I just have to get it stronger because I don't want the same pain to continue to bother me going into the playoffs," Crawford said. "I didn't re-injure it but I could tell it has to be stronger for sure to feel confident pushing off and doing certain things."
Clippers officials confirmed Crawford did not re-injure the left calf he strained Feb. 28 against the Houston Rockets.
The original diagnosis on the injury was for him to miss two to three games and this setback will likely cost him another two to three games as the Clippers proceed cautiously, especially with guard J.J. Redick sidelined indefinitely with a bulging disk in his lower back.
"We don't have enough guards to take any risks right now," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after the game.
Crawford, who has started 23 games this season in place of Redick, came off the bench on Saturday as Darren Collison started and will continue to start alongside Chris Paul in his absence.
