Kawhi Leonard will miss his second consecutive game on Saturday due to a right knee sprain, as the Clippers have officially ruled him out of Game 4 of their first-round series against Phoenix, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Leonard reportedly sustained the injury in Game 1, but was able to play through it for the first two games of the series. However, he was ruled out of Thursday’s Game 3, which the Clippers wound up losing to fall behind in the series two games to one, and he will now miss Game 4 as well.
According to John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link), there was optimism that Leonard might be able to return on Saturday, but obviously the team decided to be cautious with its best player. As Hollinger notes, the star forward will have multiple days of extra rest — Game 5 is set for Tuesday in Phoenix.
Leonard had been dominant through two games, averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals on .545/.600/.882 shooting in 40.2 minutes.
Norman Powell (42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, five rebounds, three assists) and Russell Westbrook (30 points on 11-of-23 shooting, 12 assists, eight rebounds, three steals) had huge performances in his absence yesterday, but the shorthanded Clippers — who were already playing without Paul George due to his own right knee sprain — lost by a final score of 129-124.
Head coach Tyronn Lue went with an unorthodox lineup of five guards in the fourth quarter of Game 3 (Powell, Westbrook, Eric Gordon, Terance Mann and Bones Hyland), and while the group had a lot of success on offense, it was unable to slow down Devin Booker and defensive rebounding was a struggle. It will be interesting to see Lue if utilizes another extreme small-ball group or tinkers the lineup further for Game 4 with Leonard once again sidelined.
This would have been the best Rd1 series …sigh
*I’m concerned with Phx for later series. They are playing 2 on 9 every game. Craigs been nice but it has to be concerning watching Zubac give Ayton the bizness continually.
You can’t sit out so many games and expect to turn it on and be strong in the playoffs. You can’t do it. It’s like those guys who say they don’t have to practice and they can turn it on in the game. Doesn’t work that way.., sure your body wears down but if you’re in the weight room and you’re playing all the games you get strong. Then you’re recovering in the off season.
These guys go hard suddenly the last 2 weeks of the year and expect to be strong at the most intense time of the year. Warriors tried it with Andre Iguodala.., doesn’t work they get hurt right away.
The only way at works is if you take a solid month off but then come back strong and play every game. I think Curry took a month off this year but played every other game pretty much.., couple other guys same thing. This load management crap keeps you weak and not in playoff game condition. You’re going to tweak something.
Totally agree.
In the playoffs, your body is going to be stressed to a degree that the regular season can’t match. Sure, there are more days off but the minutes and energy expenditure are significantly higher, increasing the risk of injury in the heat of the moment. And if the body isn’t accustomed to anything approaching that level of fatigue, it’s a recipe for problems.
Of course, that doesn’t mean guys should push themselves when truly injured, and a day off here or there when the circumstances warrant it is understandable. But those sorts of absences should be the exception rather than the rule. Those stress reps are very important.
As a runner, I know that I tend to feel my best—and healthiest—when I’m in the rhythm of a cycle. Give me too many days off or easier workouts and I feel flat. There is a reason all serious running plans feature a ramp up period leading up to your goal race. You may ease off the gas in the few days prior to it, but the weeks and months prior are progressively more difficult and challenging for a similar reason: it’s all designed for you to peak at the right time.
There is plenty of evidence to the contrary of your argument. I don’t like load management either but teams, and players, wouldn’t be doing it without evidence. All the fans who think these guys are “bums” for load management are just stupid. Players get hurt all the time and the older ones, even more so. If I was running a team and had to make decisions, I would trust science and data- not a bunch of whiny fans. Just because an argument feels good to you, doesn’t mean it’s true.
But what degree of load management? I’m not suggesting guys shouldn’t take off games once in awhile, but where do you draw the line? Moreover, load management is more about preventing injuries in general; what does the science say about its impact on players who make the playoffs? The jury is likely still out on that given the smaller sample size of data available.
Randy we’re not saying they’re “bums.” But get out there and play. The article says the Clippers are “being cautious with their best player.” Cautious for what.., he’s going to rest all summer !! Put a brace on and give it a go. Same with Paul George. Give it a go at least get out there and run put a uniform on.
That’s just my opinion. I’m not saying they’re bums, it’s their bodies and their careers. I guess I’m just old school and injury prone guys played 60 games, most the others played a full season. Now 60 games is a full season and injury prone guys play 40. I don’t know just venting.
Clippers fans must be frustrated. Again what are they being cautious for, get out there, this is THE TIME, there’s no tomorrow. Game 5 Tuesday? What the hell, you have to Rattle off four straight. Should have played today.
agree
but i think its pretty clear that kawai has actual leg issues. sure load management in the season but what if he just has a bum leg? i dont think he would be sitting out if the injury wasn’t significant.
we talk about IT4 for risking his hip injury to play for the celtics and now his career is over.
I do think it’s possible this is just a Kawhi thing. My comment was less about him and more about the practice in general.
Nothing “safe” about being down 3-1. Personally, I have no interest in Lue’s lineup gyrations, but I guess that’s the draw for those who tune in. Balmer has to be pysched about his investment.
Sits out every season just to sit out for thr playoffs, pathetic bum
Lol….the clips mortgaged the farm on a team centered around PG13 and KL.
Now they depend on Russ and Powell to carry them….what a disaster.
Good thing teams didn’t give him that private jet he wanted lol.
True, but the farm always re-grows. I thought Rd 1 of KI/PG was worth a go around. I think Rd 2 is the more interesting question of “what to do”
We are 6 more Clip playoff loses away from that decision. What if this duo starts barking they want ext’s this offseason? Don’t envy being in that position.
RU F’n kidding me!!!?!???!?!
Game 5 is Tuesday, not Monday.
Fixed, thanks.
Always been a Kawhi guy. But there are rumors out there. Seems his issues started with Spurs. He thinks they didn’t take care of him. And his leg problems have gotten progressively worse. Sad to see injuries end a career. But why am I paying max money for this.
link to espn.com