While they are the fourth-best team in the Western Conference, things do not seem to be going well for the Los Angeles Clippers this late in the season. The team has been playing fairly well, all credit to the understanding between star players but the squad has been missing out on their leading scorer, Kawhi Leonard. After missing the last three games, Leonard’s availability is again in question.
Advertisement
As per the official injury report of the league, Kawhi Leonard will not be participating in the Clippers matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Leonard will be out due to inflammation in his right knee.
As mentioned above, this will be the fourth straight game that Kawhi will go on to miss due to his knee and it sure is an alarming update for Clipper fans. LAC got blessed this year with no major injuries to its star players.
This resulted in fans getting to see Leonard and Paul George on court for most of the entire season. Having James Harden added to the mix was an additional bonus and no clashes between Harden and Russell Westbrook may have been the cherry on top.
As things seemed to be going fairly well for the Clippers, winning games and finally living up to the potential of the roster, this update on Leonard missing out on four straight games has to be a tough pill to swallow.
Kawhi Leonard had been dealing with knee issues as early as his days in San Antonio. Unfortunately for The Klaw, those issues never really subsided completely as they have come back once again to haunt him and Clipper fans.
Having no Leonard in the rotation may force Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue to experiment a little with the starting lineups. Russell Westbrook may get a start to make up for Leonard’s absence or Norman Powell as well. It will eventually all come down to what Tyronn Lue feels is right for the team.
How will the Clippers fare off without Kawhi Leonard
The Los Angeles Clippers will go on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. The Cavs are the third-best team in the Eastern Conference with a 41-33 record so far. And having no Kawhi Leonard in the Clippers lineup is bound to make Cavs players take advantage of his absence.
Leonard’s presence on the floor always has a certain effect on players when they are on offense. As good of a player The Klaw is on offense, he is also a beast on defense, deflecting balls and getting game-winning blocks.
The Clippers may end up struggling to close out on long-range bombs from the Cavs, leading to a formidable matchup tonight. So, tune into BSSC Network at 3:30 PM ET to see the Los Angeles Clippers host the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
