Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 4 of the Clippers' series against the Grizzlies

Posted : 23 April 2023

Due to a right knee strain, the LA Clippers will be without star player Kawhi Leonard for a second consecutive game.

Leonard will not play in Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, according to the club. Paul George, an All-Star forward, is still sidelined with a sprained right knee. In the best-of-seven series, the Suns are up 2-1.

The club has listed Leonard's ailment as day-to-day, although there was only one day between Thursday night's 129-124 loss in Game 3 and Saturday's 12:30 p.m. Game 4 tip for PT.

"It's [an] early game, but I feel like we [are] really ready though," guard Bones Hyland said
"We felt like we could've beat them [in Game 3]. We beat ourselves. So I feel like we got that firepower in us right now that we can come back tomorrow, really beat them."

Before that morning's shootaround, according to Clippers coach Ty Lue, he found out Leonard would miss Game 3. Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals while Norman Powell had 42 points without Leonard.

However, Devin Booker, who had 45 points, was unstoppable by the Clippers. They were unable to stop the Suns from converting free throws, as Phoenix made 46 of them compared to the Clippers' 25 attempts.

Lue was asked whether his team had to defend against the belief that it delivered the greatest blow to the Suns in Game 3 without Leonard and with Westbrook and Powell having strong performances.

"No, I don't worry about that," Lue said. "I mean I hope Devin Booker thinks that -- gave us 45, give us his best shot and they won by five. So just being ready to go tomorrow."

In Game 1, Leonard's right knee injury was made worse, but he played through it in Game 2. After Game 2, according to Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, Leonard's injury symptoms were worse. Leonard's right ACL tear, which prevented him from playing throughout the whole 2021–22 season, is unrelated to the injury.

In the first two games of this series, Leonard averaged 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor.
Leonard would have a week to heal after Tuesday's Game 5 before determining if he can participate when the series moves to Phoenix.

Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 4 of the Clippers' series against the Grizzlies

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics