The Los Angeles Clippers will be without their best player with the season on the line. Star forward Paul George will miss Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, the team confirmed.

The news comes with the Clippers fighting for a playoff spot. After losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, the Clippers dropped into the second round of the play-in tournament. The team will take on the Pelicans — who defeated the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The winner of Friday's contest between the Clippers and Pelicans will be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. The loser will head home for the offseason.

George, 31, averaged 24.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 31 games this season. George dropped 34 points in the team's loss to Minnesota on Tuesday.

It's been a difficult season for the Clippers, who finished just two games over .500 after claiming the No. 4 seed in the West last season. The loss of Kawhi Leonard — who missed the entire season recovering from an ACL injury — played a major role in the team's disappointing record. It didn't help that George missed multiple weeks due to an elbow injury. George returned in action in late March, and averaged 22.6 points in five games before the start of the play-in tournament.