Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out of Sunday's Game 4 of a first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks due to right knee inflammation. Leonard, who missed the final eight games of the regular season and the series opener, played in the second and third games but struggled in Game 3, scoring only nine points on seven shots, his lowest in a playoff game in a decade.
The Clippers managed to win the series opener without Leonard, thanks to a strong performance from James Harden, who scored 28 points and shot 6 of 11 from 3-point range. Paul George, who had been consistent with 22 points in each of the first two games, was limited to just seven points in Game 3, marking only his second playoff game in single digits since joining the Clippers in 2018-19.
Leonard, a six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, played 68 regular-season games, his highest since the 2016-17 season in San Antonio. His absence in Game 4 will be a significant blow to the Clippers as they look to advance in the playoffs.
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