Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined due to a knee injury, causing him to miss Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. This news comes as a significant blow to the Clippers, who are already without their other star player, Chris Paul, due to COVID-19 protocols.
Leonard sustained the injury during the previous game, Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series against the Utah Jazz. Despite playing through the injury in that game, Leonard was ruled out for Game 5 and did not return for the remainder of the series. The extent of his injury has not been disclosed by the Clippers organization.
Without Leonard on the court, the Clippers struggled in Game 3 against the Suns. They fell behind early and were never able to fully recover, ultimately losing the game 106-92. Paul George, who has been shouldering the scoring load for the Clippers in Leonard’s absence, struggled in this game, shooting just 5-of-20 from the field.
The Clippers will need to find a way to regroup and bounce back in Game 4, but that task will be made even more difficult without Leonard in the lineup. The team will need other players to step up and fill the void left by Leonard’s absence if they hope to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
