NBA playoffs: Kawhi Leonard ruled out with right knee sprain for Clippers-Suns Game 3
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday's Game 3 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns with a right knee sprain, the team announced Thursday.
The matchup of Leonard and Kevin Durant has been electric through two games, though Leonard has outscored the Suns forward so far. He put up 38 points to Durant's 27 in Game 1 and scored 31 to his 25 in Game 2.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the two-time NBA Finals MVP tweaked his knee in Game 1. He is reportedly expected to be day-to-day with the injury ahead of Game 4 on Saturday.
This injury is reportedly unrelated to the partial ACL tear he suffered in June 2021, during the Clippers' run to the Western Conference finals.
The previous injury occurred during Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. Leonard sat out after a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter. He also missed the rest of the series, along with the Clippers' Western Conference finals matchup vs. the Suns and the entirety of the 2021-22 season.
The five-time All-Star load managed throughout the 2022-23 regular season, which seemed to be working. He missed 20 of the Clippers' first 27 games and only played more than five consecutive games near the All-Star break.
He averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in the regular season.
Leonard's injury comes as Paul George remains sidelined. The eight-time All-Star averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 56 games this season. He has been out since suffering a right knee sprain against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 21. He missed the last nine games of the regular season and he is reportedly expected to miss the entirety of the team's series against the Suns.
