The LA Clippers officially have less than 10 games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, and their last road trip against Eastern Conference opponents this season. Their trip starts with a contest against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night and will finish against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
Seven-time NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard has played three straight games after missing two-of-three due to a left ankle sprain. Leonard sat out last week's contests against the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans due to an ankle sprain that's bothered him on and off over the last month of the season.
After his on-again, off-again status over the last few weeks, it's fair to wonder: will Kawhi will play on Friday night?
Here's everything we know about Kawhi Leonard's injury status for tonight's game vs. the Pacers.
Kawhi Leonard's injury status vs. Pacers
Kawhi Leonard had been listed as “Questionable” to play in the Clippers games for several weeks now as the franchise treats the left ankle sprain he's been dealing with. But Leonard has now played in three straight games for the Clippers, averaging 29.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals with wins in all three.
Ahead of the game, the LA Clippers have announced their injury report, and Leonard is not listed on it. The franchise has historically been cautious history with the two-time NBA Finals MVP, but Leonard appears to have moved past the ankle injury and is no longer needing to be listed on the injury report. It's a good sign for the Clippers, who are fighting for positioning in the play-in tournament.
The Clippers are hopeful to use these final nine games to stay healthy to get Leonard acclimated with Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin after both were acquired at the February trade deadline.
Leonard has been mostly healthy this season, playing 54 of the Clippers' 69 games thus far. 10 of the 15 games Leonard has missed were due to a severe right ankle sprain back in November. Despite suffering a left ankle injury against the Kings almost two weeks ago, Leonard has continued his streak of 20+ points in a game, doing it in 49 consecutive games and passing Bob McAdoo for the longest streak in franchise history.. It's the second-longest active streak behind Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“It's amazing,” Kawhi Leonard said of making Clippers history. “Thank God for me being able to play consistently this year and being able to be in the conversation with the greats of this game.
“It's always great to just be on the floor and be able to play basketball. There's a lot of ups and downs that you go through in the NBA, either it's a bad game, missing shots, being sick, or team failing and then the highs. It's great to just be able to be in the conversation with greats like him.”
This season, the Clippers are 30-24 in the 53 games that Kawhi Leonard has played and 4-11 in the 15 games he hasn't. They're also 0-3 in the three games that Leonard has left in the fourth quarter due to injury — against the Heat, Lakers, and Kings.
Leonard is averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from three, and 90.1 percent from the free-throw line. The 28.3 points are a career-high.
The Clippers have put together a 37-36 record, turning their season around and going 31-15 since starting the season 6-21.
Clippers' injury report
The Clippers have three players listed on the injury report for Friday's game.
- Jordan Miller (back soreness): Questionable
- Bradley Beal (left hip fracture): Out
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament tear): Out
Pacers injury report
The Pacers have six players listed on the injury report for Friday's game.
- Johnny Furphy (right ACL tear): Out
- Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon tear): Out
- Aaron Nesmith (low back soreness): Probable
- Jalen Slawson (G League – Two Way): Doubtful
- Obi Toppin (low back soreness): Questionable
- Ivica Zubac (rib fracture): Out
The Pacers fell to the LA Lakers on Wednesday night, 137-130, in their last game on Wednesday night. Former LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac was hopeful to play in Friday's game, but suffered a fractured rib last week and is out for the remainder of the season.
