Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is out for Game 4 of the LAC’s first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Leonard is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee, which kept him out of the last eight games of the regular season and prevented him from playing in Game 1.
He returned in Game 2, where he logged 35 minutes.
The forward played again in Game 3, but certainly didn’t look 100 percent.
He played 25 minutes and finished with nine points and nine rebounds in the Clippers’ 101-90 loss in Game 3.
After the game, Kawhi revealed that the knee didn’t respond the way he had hoped after Game 2.
“When you watch him play, it was very obvious that is not Kawhi Leonard,” Clippers team president Lawrence Frank said Sunday.
Frank called Leonard’s inflammation “tricky” and told reporters there’s no timetable for when Kawhi will be able to return to the court.
LA’s coach Ty Lue says that Leonard is “definitely devastated” about being sidelined indefinitely with his knee.
“We have confidence we can win the series,” Lue added. That’s how we’re made.”
Since 2020, the Clippers haven’t had a healthy Kawhi in the postseason.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd is still taking Game 4 very seriously, despite the Clippers missing one of their stars.
“You look at Harden and PG being aggressive, Kidd said, via Grant Afseth. You look at the other guys being aggressive… We can learn from Game 1.”
The Mavs coach says the Clips still have “plenty of firepower” without Leonard and Dallas’ “A game” will be required.
After being listed as questionable, Mavericks star Luka Doncic will play in Game 4.
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