Clippers' Kawhi Leonard to Return vs. Blazers After Missing 2 Games with Injury

The Los Angeles Clippers will have their leader back for Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters Kawhi Leonard will play after he missed the last two games with a mouth injury that required stitches. The Clippers went 1-1 in those games, although the loss was by 51 points to the Dallas Mavericks.

Leonard suffered the injury during a Christmas Day victory over the Denver Nuggets when he took an accidental Serge Ibaka elbow on the mouth.

He needed eight stitches and was down on the court in a bloody scene for some time.

While Los Angeles looked lost without him during the Mavericks game, it bounced back nicely in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a balanced effort. In fact, seven Clippers scored in double figures in that contest with Lou Williams leading the way off the bench with 20 points.

Considering defenses will be focused on stopping Leonard and Paul George in the playoffs, it was a welcome sign for a Clippers team that will need the supporting cast in key moments.

Leonard has appeared in two games this season and is averaging 23.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals a night. He is arguably the best two-way player in the NBA, and it wasn't particularly surprising the Clippers held him out for multiple games until he was fully ready to return with more important basketball on the horizon.

Wednesday's game is a potential playoff preview with plenty of star power with Leonard and George on one side and Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum on the other.