The Los Angeles Clippers were in fine form before suffering back-to-back losses amid their star player Kawhi Leonard’s absence due to a left hip contusion. However, backed by James Harden’s 29-point, 8-assist performance on Tuesday, Ty Lue’s boys were back to their winning ways, clinching a 113-104 victory against the Charlotte Hornets. Now, as they go up against the Memphis Grizzlies at home, fans must be wondering whether Kawhi Leonard will suit up to help the LA side grab their 2nd straight win.
Advertisement
Unlike the past few years, the Los Angeles Clippers have not been injury-riddled this season. Before the game against Memphis, only three names have been added to the LA side’s injury report. Mason Plumlee and Moussa Diabate will miss yet another contest. Whereas, Kawhi Leonard has been listed to be “questionable”.
During the final few minutes of the Clippers-Mavericks’ 20th December fixture, Leonard took a hard fall, which caused the injury. After hurting his hip, the two-time NBA champ has not suited up for the Clips, missing three straight games.
Leonard has been crucial for the Clippers this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor. The recent addition of Harden to the squad has allowed Kawhi to focus more on defense. However, his absence will require Paul George to take up more load on the defensive end. The Clips are 1-2 this season without Kawhi Leonard on the team.
Kawhi Leonard had a subpar performance in the previous Clippers-Grizzlies fixture
During the first 25 games of the season, with Ja Morant serving his suspension, the Memphis Grizzlies were an awful team. Taylor Jenkins’ team had only won six games. However, as surprising as it sounds, the Los Angeles Clippers were one of the teams who lost to the Grizzlies.
To make matters worse, the Grizzlies played without Derrick Rose, Brandon Clarke, Steven Adams, and a few other impactful players. On the other hand, the Clippers were completely healthy, playing with the star-studded lineup of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard.
In the 101-105 loss, Kawhi had a subpar performance. Having played 37 minutes, the two-way star recorded 14 points on a horrific efficiency of 37.5% from the field, 25% from the 3-point line, 50% from the free throw line, and a box plus-minus of -18.
The Grizzlies have only gotten better since Morant’s return. However, the Clippers have also found their rhythm, having gone on a nine-game win streak recently. Clearly, basketball enthusiasts will be treated to an entertaining duel, especially if Ja Morant doesn’t miss the game due to injury. Notably, Morant has missed the previous game against the Nuggets due to injury.
