On Wednesday Night, Kawhi Leonard picked up a hip injury during the Los Angeles Clippers’ win against the Dallas Mavericks when Grant Williams body-checked him. A fall to the ground made the veteran forward hurt his hip. Initially, Leonard told reporters that he was fine.
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However, the extent of the hip injury seemed more serious. In fact, the 2x NBA Finals MVP missed the Clippers’ next game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The decision was a precautionary measure by coach Ty Lue considering it was a back-to-back fixture.
As a result, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally snapped the Clippers’ nine-game win streak. The squad sorely missed Leonard’s defensive contributions. However, the question is, will he play in today’s match-up against the Boston Celtics?
Kawhi Leonard (hip) is QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow vs. the Celtics.
Mason Plumlee remains OUT for the Clippers.
Paul George, James Harden, and the rest of the guys are good to go.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 23, 2023
At the time of writing, the 2019 Finals MVP has been listed as ‘QUESTIONABLE’ for the Celtics game, as per Clippers beat writer Tomer Azarly. Other injury reports have also listed Leonard’s inclusion to the squad to be a ‘game-time decision’.
Leonard, who missed a significant chunk of games in the preceding seasons, had played 27 games in a row before missing the last one. While James Harden has been playing very well in the past few games, the Clippers will surely need their centerpiece to go back to winning ways against the loaded Boston Celtics.
However, the LA side will be cautious before bringing back the Forward. They will need the Klaw’s services to make a deep run this season and would therefore avoid risking a major injury. But there’s no doubt, that the team needs him on both ends, especially on the defensive end. During their 115-134 loss, the Clippers allowed the Thunder to shoot over 58.6% from the field and 47% from deep. Not having the defensive dynamo hurt their overall defense.
Clippers’ chances hinge upon Kawhi Leonard
The last game is a great sample of what happens to the Clippers’ team defense when Leonard is absent. Offensively, Paul George and James Harden can cover for his absence. But defensively, it is a lonely island for the team.
Therefore, his availability is crucial for the Clips’ success. With each month, the 2x NBA champion has upped his scoring average. He is averaging 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals on 52.1% shooting and 42.9% from the three-point line.
Before his injury, Leonard put up 27 or more points in seven straight games, including five games with 30 or more. His contributions during the nine-game winning streak were paramount and the Clippers need him healthy to keep playing at a high level.
