The Los Angeles Clippers will begin their first-round series in the 2024 NBA Playoffs Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks in what will be the third meeting between these franchises in the last five postseasons. The big question surrounding LA will be the status of star forward Kawhi Leonard, who is once again dealing with a knee injury. Here on the latest updates on his availability Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard injury updates
Leonard has officially been ruled out for Game 1. This likely means Powell starts in his place, and Mann gets a bigger workload off the bench. George and Harden will be the focal points offensively for the Clippers as they attempt to draw first blood in the series without their best player.
The Clippers have officially listed Leonard as questionable after he missed the last eight games of the season thanks to knee inflammation. Leonard has had knee issues since he suffered a torn ACL in the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the Jazz. Those issues have regularly popped up for the Clippers in the worst situations, such as last year in the playoffs after the first two games against Phoenix. For now, Leonard is expected to be able to suit up.
In the event Leonard doesn’t play, Paul George will become the focal point for the team offensively with James Harden slotting into the secondary role. Norman Powell will likely get the start for LA in Leonard’s place, while Terance Mann would also likely see increased minutes as the Clippers shorten their rotation for the playoffs.
