The Los Angeles Clippers are almost guaranteed play dallas mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs Either 4th or 5th seed However, it’s unclear if and when Kawhi Leonard will join the Western Conference in uniform.
As of Tuesday, April 9, the Clippers star is set to miss his fifth consecutive game with what the team is only calling “inflammation in his right knee” for now, but he has returned from a road trip. That was enough of a problem. It happened, but little concrete information about it has been provided since then.
He did not go to Phoenix for the first half of the back-to-back against the Suns.
Kawhi Leonard will not be on the team for tonight’s game in Phoenix, but that would be expected since the forward will be ruled out and the Clippers will be back to play in Los Angeles tomorrow.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 9, 2024
Here’s the rest of the latest information we know about what’s going on and when he’ll be back.
Kawhi underwent an MRI
According to Tomer Atherleycovers the Clippers as a qualified reporter for the C.latch pointLeonard “underwent a precautionary MRI upon his return to Los Angeles, which did not show anything that would cause significant concern to the Clippers.”
Leonard left the team’s road trip after the pain flared up against the Charlotte Hornets on April 1 and returned to Los Angeles for treatment rather than continuing with the team to Sacramento to face the Kings.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue originally expected Leonard to return last Thursday, April 4, against the Denver Nuggets, but instead played that game and (at least) the next three games. I was absent.
Ty Lue said Kawhi Leonard’s right knee pain was new after his last game. He returned to Los Angeles for better treatment. Lue hopes Leonard can play Thursday against the Nuggets.
— Uhm Young Mi-sook (@NotoriousOHM) April 2, 2024
Atherley also reported that sources said Leonard “is not expected to be out long enough to jeopardize a playoff appearance, assuming the Clippers finish as a top-six seed.” However, Ro Murray The Athletic “The Clippers remain generally indifferent about his status, but team officials insist they are in no rush to bring him back.”
The team has not provided any substantive updates
On top of that Preemptively exclude him Heading into Tuesday night’s fifth-straight game against the Suns, the Clippers have remained largely silent on details regarding their eternally enigmatic star.
Lue wouldn’t even confirm with the media whether Leonard had undergone imaging tests on his injured right knee.
Tyronn Lue said Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will miss several games and declined to say whether he has undergone an MRI on his knee.
“I won’t go into details, but he will miss a few games and needs to be ready to step up in the rehabilitation process.”
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 5, 2024
The reason for the skepticism about Leonard’s availability and the Clippers’ updates on it is that this knee is the same as Leonard’s. tore his meniscus The injury occurred during the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but the Clippers initially thought it was a routine “right knee sprain,” but it was confirmed after the postseason that it was a more serious injury.
Leonard partially tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the same right knee during the 2021 NBA Playoffs and later underwent surgery, causing him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.
Leonard is the Clippers’ consensus best player, and their chances of accomplishing much in the postseason will depend, if anything, on how healthy he can be by the first round. That’s why the team’s cautiousness in this situation is worth monitoring.
Will Leonard return for the 2024 NBA Playoffs?
So far, it looks like he will.Azalea Reported on Friday, April 5th Regarding Leonard, the team said, “The team is managing and rehabilitating the inflammation in his knee, and we expect him to return within the next week in time for the final two or three games of the regular season.”
And while he is already set to miss Tuesday, Azary I wrote it on Monday Leonard still has a chance to play in Game 2 of the home-and-home series against the Suns on Wednesday.If he doesn’t return, the Clippers theoretically have two games left until the end of the regular season to play: on the road on Friday, April 12th. utah jazzand the final regular season game on Sunday, April 14th vs. houston rockets.
Bookmark this page and stay tuned as we’ll keep you updated on Leonard’s status, including if he returns for the regular season or the 2024 playoffs. .
