The Los Angeles Clippers are practically 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 might be in uniform to hitch them.
As of Tuesday, April 9, the Clippers star is about to overlook his fifth straight sport as a consequence of what the staff is so far solely calling “proper knee irritation,” however was sufficient of a problem to see him despatched residence from a highway journey after it occurred, and has had little or no concrete info offered on it since.
He didn’t journey to Phoenix for the primary half of their back-to-back towards the Suns:
Kawhi Leonard will not be with the staff in Phoenix for tonight’s sport, however that’s to be anticipated with the ahead being dominated out and the Clippers coming again to play in Los Angeles tomorrow.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 9, 2024
Right here is remainder of the newest we find out about what’s going on, and when he could possibly be again:
Kawhi bought 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 will trigger the Clippers vital concern.”
Leonard left the staff’s highway 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 staff to Sacramento to face the Kings.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was initially hoping Leonard can be again final Thursday, April 4 towards the Denver Nuggets… however he has as an alternative missed that sport in addition to (a minimum of) the subsequent three after it:
Ty Lue says Kawhi Leonard’s proper knee soreness is one thing new that popped up after the final sport. He went again to Los Angeles for higher therapy. Lue hopes Leonard can play Thursday towards 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, Regulation Murray of The Athletic wrote that “whereas the Clippers stay unconcerned about his standing general, staff sources keep that they won’t rush him again.”
The staff will not be offering any substantial updates
In addition to preemptively ruling him out for his fifth sport in a row towards the Suns on Tuesday night time, the Clippers have largely been mum on any specifics relating to their perpetually mysterious star.
Lue wouldn’t even affirm to the media whether or not or not Leonard bought imaging accomplished 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 bought an MRI on his knee:
“We’re not gonna get into the small print of it, however he’s gonna miss a pair video games and we have to be able to step up as he goes by 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 similar 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 value him the whole 2021-22 season.
Leonard is the Clippers’ consensus greatest 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 staff’s caginess on this example bears monitoring.
Will Leonard be again for the 2024 NBA playoffs?
Thus far it seems that he’ll. Azarly reported on Friday, April 5 that Leonard “and the staff are going by the rehab course of, managing the irritation in his knee, and so they’re hopeful he’ll return someday subsequent week, in time to play the ultimate two or three video games of the common season.”
And whereas he’s already been dominated out for Tuesday, Azarly wrote on Monday that there’s nonetheless an opportunity Leonard performs Wednesday within the staff’s second sport of the staff’s home-and-home back-to-back towards the Suns. If he doesn’t return then, the Clippers have two extra video games earlier than the top of the common season he might theoretically play in: Friday, April 12 towards the Utah Jazz, and Sunday, April 14 within the common season finale towards the Houston Rockets.
Keep tuned and bookmark this web page, as we might 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.
