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, nevertheless it’s not clear if and when Kawhi Leonard might be in uniform to affix them.
As of Tuesday, April 9, the Clippers star is ready to overlook his fifth straight recreation attributable to what the group is to date solely calling “proper knee irritation,” however was sufficient of a difficulty to see him despatched dwelling from a street journey after it occurred, and has had little or no concrete info supplied on it since.
He didn’t journey to Phoenix for the primary half of their back-to-back towards the Suns:
Kawhi Leonard isn’t with the group in Phoenix for tonight’s recreation, 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 most recent we learn about what’s going on, and when he might be again:
Kawhi bought an MRI
In line 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 important concern.”
Leonard left the group’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 group to Sacramento to face the Kings.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was initially hoping Leonard could be again final Thursday, April 4 towards the Denver Nuggets… however he has as an alternative missed that recreation in addition to (a minimum of) the following three after it:
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 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, group sources preserve that they won’t rush him again.”
The group isn’t offering any substantial updates
Apart from preemptively ruling him out for his fifth recreation in a row towards the Suns on Tuesday night time, the Clippers have principally been mum on any specifics concerning their perpetually mysterious star.
Lue wouldn’t even verify to the media whether or not or not Leonard bought imaging achieved 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 must be able to step up as he goes by means of his rehab course of.”
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 5, 2024
The explanation for burbling skepticism about Leonard’s availability — and in regards to the Clippers’ updates on it — is that this knee is similar one which Leonard tore his meniscus in in the course of 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 in the course of the 2021 NBA playoffs, later present process surgical procedure that value him the complete 2021-22 season.
Leonard is the Clippers’ consensus greatest participant, and their probabilities 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 group’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 group are going by means of 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.”
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 group’s second recreation of the group’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 tip 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 dwell 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.