Chauncey Billups tears Achilles, lost for season

LOS ANGELES - Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during Los Angeles' 107-102 victory over the Magic in Orlando on Monday night.

The team says an MRI on Tuesday confirmed Billups' injury.

Billups will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for further evaluation. The Clippers say a date for surgery hasn't been determined.

The five-time All-Star, whom the Clippers claimed off waivers in December, was averaging 14.9 points and 4.0 assists in 30.4 minutes per game this season.

Billups was having a huge night Monday, scoring 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter when he turned to run up the court and buckled to the ground with 5:48 left in the game. He was surrounded by trainers and teammates, but needed assistance on both sides to make it off the court.

Billups, who was selected third overall in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics, is playing for his seventh NBA club. One of them was the Denver Nuggets, who dealt him to New York with Carmelo Anthony as part of a three-team, 13-player trade with Minnesota last February.

CBSSports.com's Matt Moore says the Clipper have the ability to move forward.

"The Clippers will miss Billups' on-floor leadership, his scoring, his defense, and his experience. But Billups also hasn't been a very productive player due to age," Moore writes. "He fit well on the Clippers, but with their guard depth, they're well-suited to withstand this blow in time."