The LA Clippers are in the middle of a three-game road trip, currently in New Orleans on Thursday night for the second night of a back-to-back set and the fifth game in a tough five-in-seven stretch for the team.
Seven-time NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard returned from a one-game absence on Wednesday night and played against the Pelicans. Leonard was previously unable to take part in Monday night's loss against the San Antonio Spurs due to a left ankle sprain suffered late in Saturday night's game against the Sacramento Kings.
Leonard departed the Kings game in the fourth quarter and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game. Kawhi Leonard made a quick recovery in time to play on Wednesday night, but will be play again on Thursday night?
Here's everything we know about Kawhi Leonard's injury status for tonight's game vs. the Pelicans.
Kawhi Leonard's injury status vs. Pelicans
Kawhi Leonard was listed as “Questionable” to play in the Clippers' first contest against the Pelicans, and was ultimately upgraded to available . Leonard is once again listed on the Clippers injury report for Thursday night, listed as”Questionable” for the game with a left ankle sprain. It is the second night of a back-to-back set coming off an injury, so Leonard's status would very much up in the air.
Just ahead of the game, the LA Clippers have announced that Leonard has been ruled OUT for the game. The franchise has historically been cautious history with the two-time NBA Finals MVP, but Leonard has pushed to play as many games as possible, especially as the team fights for playoff positioning.
Something else to monitor is that guard Darius Garland has been ruled out of Thursday night's game with the left toe injury management. He hasn't played in any back-to-backs since returning, and there's no reason to believe he will at any point this season.
Kawhi Leonard has gotten a bad rap among NBA fans due to his unfortunate injuries, but he's played in both halves of nine back-to-back sets during the 2025-26 regular season with the Clippers, showcasing his ability to stay healthy and produce at a high level. In past years, the Clippers had been holding him out of most back-to-back sets due to the serious injuries he's dealt with, such as the torn ACL that ended his 2021 and 2022 postseasons, the torn meniscus that cut his 2023 postseason, and the inflammation in the knee that caused him to miss the 2024 postseason.
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 Spurs, Leonard passed Bob McAdoo with his 45th straight game of 20+ points, setting a new franchise record. Leonard scored 25 points with eight rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting from the field on Wednesday, extending his streak of 20+ point games to 46, 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 30-24 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 28.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 38.3 percent from three, and 89.8 percent from the free-throw line. The 28.2 points are a career-high.
The Clippers have put together a 34-35 record, turning their season around and going 28-14 since starting the season 6-21. They have, however, lost three games in a row and could be looking at a fourth straight loss as they take on the Pelicans without Leonard and Garland.
Clippers' injury report
The Clippers have five players listed on the injury report for Wednesday's game.
- Kawhi Leonard (left ankle sprain): Out
- Darius Garland (left toe injury management): Out
- Bradley Beal (left hip fracture): Out
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament tear): Out
- Bennedict Mathurin (right toe injury recovery): Out
Pelicans' injury report
The Pelicans have five players listed on the injury report for Wednesday's game.
- Trey Alexander (G League – Two Way): Out
- Hunter Dickerson (G League – Two Way): Out
- Bryce McGowens (right small toe fracture): Out
- Dejounte Murray (right Achilles injury management): Out
- Josh Oduro (G League – Two Way): Out
The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Clippers, 124-109, in their last game on Wednesday night. Thursday's game between the Clippers and Pelicans is the fourth and final contest between the two teams this season.
