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The Los Angeles Clippers have gotten healthy over the last few weeks and look like a legitimate championship contender as the Toronto Raptors come to town. With Kawhi Leonard back, but also dealing with a recent late benching, fans have been a bit uncertain about his status.
The Clippers' released their injury report ahead of Wednesday night's game against Leonard's former team, and the two-time NBA Finals MVP is not listed on it with any injury. He's expected to play against the team he helped lead to the 2019 NBA Championship.
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and co. are all expected to play against the Raptors tomorrow night. None are on the injury report.
Moussa Diabate (hand) remains out for the Clippers.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 10, 2024
Kawhi Leonard missed four games towards the end of December with a hip contusion, but returned against the Miami Heat on New Year's Day. He's played in every game since, but did have a strange hiccup when he was substituted out of the Clippers' three-point loss against the Los Angeles Lakers with 2:47 left in the fourth quarter.
Head coach Tyronn Lue ultimately admitted it was solely his decision to rest Leonard, considering the Clippers were beginning a stretch of five games in eight days.
“He was close to his minutes restriction and we got a back to back tomorrow,” Tyronn Lue said after the Lakers loss on Sunday. “We got five games in eight days, so just me, my thought was, we need him in the game because the game kind of got away from us a little bit.
“That's on me as a decision that I made to get him in early to come back. We were down eight and he did a good job, being on the floor, bringing us back and it was my decision. Like I said, he was close to his minutes and we got a back to back tomorrow and so just got to be smart about it, especially with him coming back from injury.”
Kawhi Leonard said he was okay with the minutes restriction and understands the long-term goals he as well as the Clipper have in mind.
In 32 appearances so far this season, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from three.
Kawhi Leonard has played six games against the Raptors since joining the Clippers, averaging 17.8 points 7.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
At 23-13, the LA Clippers can go 11 games above .500 with a win on Wednesday night against the Raptors. They'll also enter the matchup having won 20 of their last 26 games.
