Clippers expect to have Montrezl Harrell for start of playoffs

The Los Angeles Clippers believe forward Montrezl Harrell will be available for the opening game of the club's playoff series versus the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. 

Harrell exited the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex bubble site back on July 17 for a family emergency believed to be related to the death of his grandmother. He has yet to play while in the Florida hub and returned to the bubble late Sunday night, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk. 

The story added that Harrell, a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, was instructed to quarantine for seven days. Players who leave the bubble are given specific quarantine instructions from the Association per their particular situations. 

Coach Doc Rivers told reporters that Harrell will have to swim in the figurative deep end of the playoff pool once he's out of self-isolation:

"You know, I am going to just throw him in there, as you know, he's earned that right. The challenge will be just how ready he is. I don't know if I have ever had a guy that hasn't played in eight games or whatever and hasn't had any practice and we're just going to throw him out on the floor in a playoff game. We're hoping that at this point."

Harrell averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds, both career highs, across 63 appearances before the NBA halted the season on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic.