PLAYA VISTA — Paul George hasn’t been cleared for takeoff, so don’t bother checking the departure board, not just yet.

But the Clippers’ star wing looked characteristically fluid as he put up shots – with his right hand – Saturday before the team’s practice at Honey Training Center.

The seven-time All-Star has missed the past 33 games – a span in which the Clippers are holding steady, at 17-16 – since being shelved with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

It’s the type of injury that often sidelines baseball pitchers for a year following Tommy John surgery to repair it, but that operation is relatively unheard of for basketball players, according to Dr. Alan Beyer, executive medical director at Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine.

George underwent an MRI on Feb. 25, which indicated, Coach Tyronn Lue said that day: “Just that he feels better. He’s making progress, but he’s gonna need more time.”

On Saturday, Lue remained vague, sticking to the company line despite the fact George was, in plain view, moving freely shooting from close range and midrange, slithering past stationary coaches and modeling dribble movements for Terance Mann.

“I didn’t see him,” Lue said, a twinkle in his eye. “I seen him on the court rebounding for TMann, I didn’t see him shoot or nothing. I didn’t. I didn’t see him shoot. How’d he look?”

Informed that George looked, well, “like Paul George,” Lue intimated that he was pleased to hear it as he repeated his by-now familiar refrain: “Really? Well he’s ‘doing better.’”

Lue was willing to share his impression of George’s ongoing mentorship of Mann, injured or not: “I think Kawhi (Leonard) and PG both do a good job with TMann, just giving him confidence and showing him different things, different footwork. Different ways to get open on the pick and roll. They do a good job of just make sure they are there to help him out.

“And TMann has progressed extremely well and just got to continue getting that growth and I think he will because he works hard.”

Yes, that’s Paul George. And yes, Paul George is shooting. pic.twitter.com/CNcFSb81z6

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) March 5, 2022

Before he was ruled out, George was leading the Clippers’ charge while his co-star Leonard was sidelined, recovering from July surgery to repair his torn right anterior cruciate ligament.

He led the team in points (24.7), assists (5.5) and steals (2.0), and was second in rebounds (7.1 rebounds) through 26 games.

KENNARD’S COACH K CONNECTION

Work kept Luke Kennard from joining the 80 or so former Duke players who were on hand to honor Mike Krzyzewski at Saturday’s Duke vs. North Carolina game at Cameron Indoor Stadium – the final home game of the legendary coach’s 42-year tenure.

But Kennard, who averaged 15.7 points and shot 46.1% from 3-point range in two seasons at Duke between 2015-17, tweeted his best wishes, feeling nostalgic about his experience in Durham playing for Krzyzewski.

“He started recruiting me … going into my junior year (and) we just kind of connected right away,” said Kennard, who vividly remembers sitting in a psychology class at Franklin High School and thinking about the big life decision looming after his official visit to Duke, which turned out to be the only one he took.

“I remember being in class on Monday, back home in Ohio, and I pulled out my phone in the middle of class and just snuck it under the table,” Kennard said. “And I texted my dad, told him: ‘I’m going to Duke.’”

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It was, Kennard tweeted, “the best decision” he’s made.

“He believed in me to play there,” Kennard said. “Duke wasn’t for everybody and Coach, he gets the best out of you, he expects the best out of you and he changed my life forever, he really did.

“I’m happy for him. He’s done what he’s wanted to do in his coaching career, I believe, and he’s changed so many lives. It’s incredible, what he’s done. The greatest to ever do it at the college level. He’s coached at the Olympics. And the way he just connects everybody is just incredible, so I’m happy for him, now he can spend some time with his family and just enjoy it.”

KNICKS (25-38) AT CLIPPERS (34-31)

When: Sunday, 7 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/Radio: Bally Sports SoCal, ESPN / 570 AM

I wish I could be in Cameron Indoor tonight for Coach’s last home game. Duke changed my life and going there was the best decision I’ve ever made. It will be an emotional night but enjoy it while the greatest to ever do it is still coaching. Thank you Coach K!

— Luke Kennard (@LukeKennard5) March 5, 2022