The LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard are trying everything in their power to get their star right for the NBA Playoffs. The Mavs are eyeing it.
The LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard are trying everything in their power to get their star right for the NBA Playoffs. With the team down 2-1 and another game in from of a raucous Dallas Mavericks fanbase on Sunday, time is running out.
Kawhi Leonard will officially be listed as ‘Questionable’ heading into Sunday’s Game 4, but it’s not as simple as, will he or won’t he play.
Leonard was limited to just 25 minutes in Game 2 after not playing at all in Game 1, something that quickly appeared to hint at something not going right for him and the Clippers. After playing 35 minutes in the Game 2 home loss, Leonard said he hadn’t taken part in any contact work over the previous three weeks leading up to his return to play.
After being unavailable for comment at Thursday’s practice, Leonard suited up for Game 2 and was visibly not right.
“[The knee] just didn’t respond the way we wanted after the first game,” Leonard told members of the media in Dallas. “But we’re gonna get it right. Time will tell, but we’re doing all the right things.”
Kawhi Leonard says his knee didn’t respond the way the team was hoping it would after last game, so the team is continuing to monitor and manage the inflammation.
Says it was either play limited today or don’t play at all, and he wanted to be out there.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 27, 2024
When asked if the inflammation had subsided or if it was something he was still dealing with, Kawhi Leonard explained that it was either play limited or do not play at all.
“I was pretty good first game, like I said, it didn’t respond the way we wanted it to and tonight, it was either play limited minutes or not play and I wanted to be on the floor to help the team,” Leonard added. “That’s what the results are. Frustrated that it happened to me this late in the season, but we’re gonna keep going and we’re gonna get it right.”
Kawhi Leonard did tell members of the media after Friday’s Game 3 loss that he expects to play in Sunday’s Game 4.
Kawhi Leonard says knee didn’t respond way he wanted it to after Game 1 and it had to be managed tonight. He says he wanted to play even if it meant limited minutes. He expects to play Game 4 but also has to see how his knee feels tomorrow. He says he wants to help his team.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 27, 2024
“Yeah. The way it is right now, we’ll see tomorrow, but I want to play.”
Leonard was seen participating in some light shooting at Clippers practice Saturday, but it wasn’t anything that can be considered high-intensity. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue also mentioned that today would be another non-contact practice, mostly working on film and walking through different sets.
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Kawhi doing some light shooting before practice today. Ty Lue says he will be questionable for Game 4. He will likely be on a restriction again if he is available to play. pic.twitter.com/qEjIRa9x6e
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 27, 2024
Tyronn Lue says that Kawhi Leonard will be questionable for Game 4 pic.twitter.com/QBWOS0JanN
— Law Murray 🐦🔥 (@LawMurrayTheNU) April 27, 2024
Kawhi Leonard participated in 68 games during the 2023-24 regular season, the most he’s played since the 2016-17 regular season when he played 74 games with the San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on a career-high 52.5 percent shooting from the field, 41.7 percent from three, and 88.5 percent from the free throw line.
In two playoff games thus far, Leonard is averaging just 12 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 45.8 percent shooting from the field and 0-of-5 from three.
Game 4 between the Clippers and Mavericks is set to tip off at 12:30PM PST on ABC. The Clippers will look to tie the series up at 2-2 heading back to Los Angeles for Game 5 while the Mavericks are eyeing a commanding 3-1 series lead and a chance to close the series up on the road.
