So much for Sunday's matinee between the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks serving as a potential NBA Finals preview. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are both out for their team's showdown with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and company at Crypto.com Arena, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Leonard is dealing with left groin soreness while George is slowed by left knee soreness. Both played in the Clippers' 112-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, combining for 41 points while playing upwards of 38 minutes.
The status of Leonard and George, both in their mid-30s with significant injury history, against the Bucks isn't exactly surprising. Los Angeles is playing the second leg of a back-to-back that tips off less than 24 hours after the final buzzer of its win against the Bulls. The Clippers also face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, a matchup that could go a long way toward deciding playoff seeds and home-court advantage in a prospective postseason series between the two Western Conference powers.
Expect Amir Coffey and Norman Powell to start alongside James Harden, Terrance Mann and Ivica Zubac in place of Leonard and George. Rookie forward Kobe Brown could get additional playing time, too, his length and strength making him one of Los Angeles' best options checking Antetokounmpo, who's probable to play with right knee tendinitis. Khris Middleton will remain sidelined for Milwaukee with a left ankle sprain, missing his 14th straight game.
The Clippers enter Sunday's action at 41-21, two games back of the Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets for second-place in the West and two-and-a-half games back of the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bucks are 41-23, third in the East and a half game back of the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers.
Los Angeles and Milwaukee tipoff at 12:00 p.m. (PT).
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