Just after putting in the best performance, they could have without Paul George against OKC on Friday, The Clippers had Kawhi Leonard taking an early leave in the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
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It was after he got hit by Brandon Ingram’s unintentional elbow during a 3rd quarter play, that sent The Klaw straight to the locker room to not come back at all. It was a facial contusion, the degree of which wasn’t serious according to some reports after the game.
The Clips were 20 points behind at the time, with Leonard contributing 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in 26 minutes of action. They lost the game 131-110 and slid down a position in the standings in the West after attaining the #4 seed.
Now they have a Chicago Bulls problem in front of them. Will the 2x Finals MVP be available to play the team that just defeated their streaking neighbors? Let’s find out.
Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight vs the Chicago Bulls?
The Bulls are trying to get on a streak themselves after defeating the Lakers by 10 points in LA, as they take on the Clippers inside Crypto.com Arena tonight. They would find themselves lucky to not see a masked Kawhi Leonard on the floor.
As of now, he is on the Clippers’ injury list, as ‘probable’. So, he would be a game-time decision.
But let’s hope for the sake of basketball that he’ll be back sooner than he generally does from any type of injury.
Can the Clippers hold their own if Kawhi stays out?
Clips’ injury list already has Paul George, Norman Powell, and Brandon Boston Jr. on it. Clipper Nation cannot see another name there for long, not a certain ‘Kawhi Leonard’.
It would be tough for the probable starting line-up of Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon, Terrance Mann, Marcus Morris Sr., and Ivica Zubac to snatch one against Zach LaVine and Co.
And neither the games following this one will allow them to do so. Let’s hope the Terminator is back as soon as possible.
