LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as Thursday’s Clippers-Thunder game (8 ET, League Pass), after feeling stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee at pregame shootaround.
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The Clippers lost to the Thunder, 108-94, as star guard Paul George also missed that game due to illness. Another starter, Marcus Morris, was out for personal reasons.
Clippers coach Ty Lue said Leonard has not suffered a setback and that the team is remaining extremely cautious with its franchise star.
“We want to be cautious, make sure we’re doing the right thing by him; even though he wanted to play, we just thought it wasn’t smart,” coach Tyronn Lue said before tipoff at Paycom Center. “He can be mad at us if he wants to but just not smart right now.”
Leonard, who watched Tuesday’s game in Oklahoma City on the sideline, will fly back to Los Angeles on Wednesday to receive treatment on his knee.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re doing the right thing, sending him back to L.A. because he has better resources for his rehab there.”
Coming off the bench, Leonard played 21 minutes in each of his two appearances this season, his first games since surgery in July 2021 to fix a partially torn ACL.
Leonard has posted 25 points and 13 rebounds in 42 minutes played, shooting 8-for-18 from the field.
