The LA Clippers are set to host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night in what is the third game of a difficult, five-in-seven stretch for the Clippers.
Seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard played in Saturday night's game against the Sacramento Kings, but exited the game in the fourth quarter after suffering a left ankle injury. After the game, the Clippers announced that Leonard was dealing with a left ankle sprain, and that he would be re-evaluated.
Here's everything we know about Kawhi Leonard's injury status for tonight's game vs. the Spurs.
Kawhi Leonard's injury status vs. Spurs
Kawhi Leonard was unlisted on the Clippers injury report for Saturday night's game against the Kings, the second game of a back-to-back set. Leonard had been playing in back-to-back sets this season when healthy, but sprained his left ankle for the second time since the NBA All-Star break.
Leonard is listed as, “Doubtful,” to play in Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs, and it appears likely that he will be ruled out for the game. The LA Clippers are expected to make it official around 6 PM PST, when Leonard has concluded his usual pre-game workout routine and is evaluated by the medical staff.
Kawhi Leonard has played in nine back-to-back sets this season with the Clippers, signaling that he's been healthy enough to play. In past years, the Clippers had been holding him out of most back-to-back sets, but that's due in large part to injuries he's dealt with like the torn ACL, torn meniscus, and inflammation in the knee that caused him to miss the 2024 postseason.
Leonard has been mostly healthy this season, playing 53 of the Clippers' 67 games thus far, with 10 of those games being due to a severe right ankle sprain. Despite suffering the injury Saturday, Leonard passed Bob McAdoo with his 45-straight game of 20+ points, marking a new franchise record. Leonard's current streak is also the second-longest active streak behind Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Passing McAdoo is a great accomplishment,” Tyronn Lue said of Kawhi Leonard recently. “He was a really good player, great player, and it just says a lot about Kawhi. When he's healthy, you know, what he's done this year is crazy. Someone asked the other day, ‘have you seen someone do this in their 14th season, averaging more than they've average their whole career?' and I said, ‘no I'm not surprised.' Because I see the work he puts in every day. I see what he does every night just to try to get on the floor and play. Him being healthy, like he is, it's just how he plays. And it could be a long run for him to do that.”
This season, the Clippers are 30-23 in the 53 games that Kawhi Leonard has played and 4-10 in the 14 games he hasn't. Leonard is averaging 28.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50.3 percent from the field 38 percent from three, and 90.6 percent from the free throw line.
Thus far, the Clippers have put together a 34-33 record, turning their season around and going 28-12 since starting the season 6-21.
When it comes to the question of if Kawhi Leonard is playing tonight vs. the Kings, the answer is most likely not.
Clippers' injury report
The Clippers have three players listed on the injury report for Monday night's game.
- Kawhi Leonard (left ankle sprain): Doubtful
- Bradley Beal (left hip fracture): Out
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament tear): Out
Spurs' injury report
The Spurs have five players listed on the injury report for Friday night's game.
- Dylan Harper (right calf contusion): Out
- Harrison Ingram (G League – Two Way): Out
- David Jones Garcia (G League – Two Way): Out
- Luke Kornet (right knee soreness): Out
- Emanuel Miller (G League – Two Way): Out
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 115-102, on Saturday night before embarking on their flight to Los Angeles. Monday night's game represents the second of three matchups between the LA Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.
