The Los Angeles Clippers will be without superstar Kawhi Leonard for at least Game 4 as the two-time Finals MVP has no timetable to return to NBA playoff action.
Leonard was absent in Game 3 of the Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. The 31-year-old suffered a right knee sprain and has no timetable to return in a brutal blow to the Clippers’ hopes of advancing, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported the issue was not related to the ACL tear that forced Leonard to miss the entire 2021/22 season. The five-time All-Star reportedly suffered the injury in Game 1 and played through it in the second clash in Phoenix, but he was unable to play in the series bow in Los Angeles - which the Suns won 123-109 to go up 2-1.
Leonard sat out all of last season in order to rehab his knee and the Clippers have been load managing the issue throughout this year. He missed 20 of the Clippers' first 27 games to start the 2022/23 season.
Leonard’s injury only adds to the Clippers’ problems. Heading into the postseason, the franchise were already without fellow star Paul George after he sprained his knee last month against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is not expected to play in the first round.
Before Game 3, Clippers president Lawrence Frank revealed Leonard was ‘extremely disappointed’ that he was unable to play but he refused to add further detail regarding the star’s status. Leonard played over 80 minutes across the first two games, which left the series tied.
Even without George, the Clippers secured the series opener in Phoenix with a 115-110 win before the Suns came back with a 123-109 victory a few days later. Leonard’s absence will hurt the Clippers as he has been immense in the series so far, averaging 34.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting while adding 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
Without Leonard, Norman Powell was inserted into the starting lineup for Game 3 - and the 29-year-old scored 42 points on 7-of-12 from three-point range. He couldn’t secure the win though, with the Suns claiming the victory on the back of 45 points from Devin Booker.
With Leonard set to miss Game 4, the pressure will be on former MVP Russell Westbrook to perform. Westbrook tallied 30 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in the Game 3 defeat, while Terance Mann added 10 points but should see a greater role off the bench. The Clippers will look to tie the series up on Saturday when they face the Suns at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
