NBA postseason: Kawhi Leonard won’t play against the Phoenix Suns
Kawhi Leonard’s decision to miss the Los Angeles Clippers’ NBA playoff game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday due to an injured right knee was a setback for the franchise.
After the Clippers verified Leonard’s absence in an official injury report, the Los Angeles Times reported that it was uncertain whether Leonard would be ready to return for game four on Saturday.
In game one of the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Suns, the Clippers defeated them 115-110, and Leonard is said to have injured his knee.
In that contest, the Clippers defeated the Suns at home by scoring 38 points through him.
In game two, he persevered despite being injured, scoring 31 points, adding eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in the 123-109 loss that tied the series at one game each.
The loss of Leonard, who won NBA titles with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors and was twice voted NBA Finals MVP, is a crushing blow for a Clippers club that doesn’t anticipate having star Paul George back from a damaged right knee for the first round.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Leonard’s 2021 right knee ligament tear, which required him to miss a year of action, is unrelated to this ailment.
As the Clippers controlled his return from injury, he participated in 52 of 82 games this season.
