Clippers' Lue Says Kawhi Leonard 'Definitely' Has Injury: 'It's Not Load Management'
Kawhi Leonard has become one of the faces of the load-management issue in the NBA during recent seasons, but that is not why he missed Games 3 and 4 of the Los Angeles Clippers' first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.
"He's definitely hurt," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said, per Mark Medina of the Sporting Tribune.
"It's not load management where he's taking time off. He's shown in the past that he's played through injuries in the playoffs. If it's something he can't play through, then it has to be pretty serious. We're not talking about he's sitting out because of load management or he's tired. It's nothing like that. It's an actual thing."
Leonard aggravated a right knee injury during Game 2 of the series and hasn't practiced since.
He received treatment on the sprained knee Monday, but his absence has been magnified because Paul George is also out with a sprained knee. That leaves the Clippers without their two best players in a series where they are facing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
It looked like Los Angeles might be able to win the series even without George when it earned a split in the first two games on the road.
Leonard scored 38 in Game 1 and 31 in Game 2 and looked every bit the part of the playoff superstar who helped lead the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs to championships earlier in his career.
Yet he is now sidelined again after missing the entirety of the 2021-22 season and appearing in only 52 games during the 2022-23 campaign. That has put much more of the onus on Russell Westbrook and the role players, and they did what they could to keep the last two games close.
Westbrook had a 30-point double-double in Game 3 and 37 points in Game 4, while Norman Powell poured in a team-high 42 points in Game 3.
Still, the Suns have too much firepower with Leonard and George sidelined and are now one win away from advancing with a 3-1 lead. The Clippers' season might end Tuesday unless the treatment Leonard received Monday helps him get back on the court for Game 5.
