The Los Angeles Clippers will hope to level their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks Sunday afternoon when the two sides meet in Game 4. The Clippers took the first game of the series without superstar forward Kawhi Leonard, but Dallas got the next two games with Leonard in the mix. The forward only logged 25 minutes in Game 3 as he continues to deal with a knee injury. Here is the latest on his status for Sunday’s contest.
Kawhi Leonard injury updates
Update: Leonard has been ruled out in this critical Game 4, meaning the Clippers will rely heavily on George and Harden on offense. Powell and Mann become that much more important for LA now with Leonard out. What’s even more concerning is the Clippers have ruled Leonard out indefinitely, meaning he’s likely to be sidelined for the rest of this series.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard is expected to play Sunday, and he’s officially being listed as questionable. The problem is how much he can play at a given time and whether the knee continues to bother him. Los Angeles does not want to go back home down 3-1 with a hobbled Leonard, so making sure he doesn’t aggravate an injury that has now been bothering him for three seasons is paramount.
If Leonard doesn’t end up playing or is limited, look for Paul George and James Harden to continue carrying the bulk of the scoring load for the Clippers. George and Harden have hade their fair share of playoff disappointments but they can erase a lot of those doubts if they deliver a signature showing in Game 4. Norman Powell and Terance Mann would also see some additional playing time if Leonard doesn’t log his usual minutes.