The Los Angeles Clippers are almost assured to play the Dallas Mavericks within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs as both the fourth or fifth seed within the Western Convention, however it’s not clear if and when Kawhi Leonard can be in uniform to affix them.
As of Wednesday, April 10, the Clippers star is ready to overlook his sixth straight recreation as a consequence of what the workforce is so far solely calling “proper knee irritation,” however was sufficient of a difficulty to see him despatched house from a street journey after it occurred, and has had little or no concrete data supplied on it since.
He didn’t journey to Phoenix for the primary half of their back-to-back in opposition to the Suns, and can sit out of the second half as properly:
Clippers damage report
Paul George – Left Knee Soreness
James Harden – Proper Foot Irritation
Kawhi Leonard – Proper Knee Irritation and Russell Westbrook— left hand contusion are all out for Suns recreation tonight— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) April 11, 2024
Right here is remainder of the most recent we learn about what’s going on, and when he could possibly be again:
Kawhi received an MRI
In keeping with Tomer Azarly, who covers the Clippers as a credentialed reporter for Clutch Factors, Leonard “underwent a precautionary MRI upon returning to Los Angeles, which didn’t present something that might trigger the Clippers vital concern.”
Leonard left the workforce’s street journey after the soreness flared up vs. the Charlotte Hornets on April 1, and went again to Los Angeles for therapy quite than proceed on with the workforce to Sacramento to face the Kings.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was initially hoping Leonard could be again final Thursday, April 4 in opposition to the Denver Nuggets… however he has as a substitute missed that recreation as properly, and each recreation since:
Ty Lue says Kawhi Leonard’s proper knee soreness is one thing new that popped up after the final recreation. He went again to Los Angeles for higher therapy. Lue hopes Leonard can play Thursday in opposition to the Nuggets.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 2, 2024
Azarly moreover reported that his sources say Leonard is “not anticipated to be out lengthy sufficient to hazard his playoff availability, assuming the Clippers end with a top-six seed.” Nonetheless, Legislation Murray of The Athletic wrote that “whereas the Clippers stay unconcerned about his standing general, workforce sources preserve that they won’t rush him again.”
The workforce isn’t offering any substantial updates
The Clippers have largely been mum on any specifics concerning their perpetually mysterious star. Lue wouldn’t even verify to the media whether or not or not Leonard received imaging finished on his injured proper knee:
Tyronn Lue says Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is gonna miss a pair video games and refused to reply if he received an MRI on his knee:
“We’re not gonna get into the main points of it, however he’s gonna miss a pair video games and we have to be able to step up as he goes via his rehab course of.”
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 5, 2024
The rationale for burbling skepticism about Leonard’s availability — and concerning the Clippers’ updates on it — is that this knee is identical one which Leonard tore his meniscus in through the 2023 NBA Playoffs, which the Clippers initially framed as a day-to-day “proper knee sprain” earlier than confirming the a lot worse damage after the postseason was over.
Leonard additionally partially tore his ACL in the identical proper knee through the 2021 NBA playoffs, later present process surgical procedure that price him your entire 2021-22 season.
Leonard is the Clippers’ consensus finest participant, and their possibilities of doing a lot — if something — within the postseason will hinge on how wholesome he can get for the primary spherical, which is why the workforce’s caginess on this example bears monitoring.
Will Leonard be again for the 2024 NBA playoffs?
To date it seems that he’ll. Azarly reported on Friday, April 5 that Leonard “and the workforce are going via the rehab course of, managing the irritation in his knee, they usually’re hopeful he’ll return someday subsequent week, in time to play the ultimate two or three video games of the common season.”
The Clippers have two extra video games earlier than the tip of the common season he might theoretically play in after being dominated out on Wednesday: Friday, April 12 in opposition to the Utah Jazz, and Sunday, April 14 within the common season finale in opposition to the Houston Rockets.
Keep tuned and bookmark this web page, as we can be offering reside updates as they arrive on Leonard’s standing if and when he returns, whether or not to ramp up for the common season, or for the 2024 playoffs.