Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard finds himself on the injury report once again as knee issues continue to pop up on his radar.
Having been dealing with the injury since last week, one NBA insider provided an update on what Leonard has been up to with his recovery.
Kawhi Leonard’s Current Injury Status
Leonard suffered a left knee contusion during the Clippers’ win over the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 10. While he played through the injury in the next two games, it finally kept him out of the Jan. 16 contest against the Toronto Raptors.
NBA insider Chris Hayes provided an update on the veteran superstar’s injury on Sunday. He reported that the injury itself is not serious, as Leonard is only dealing with irritation in the left knee area.
“Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard — who’s having a career year — is dealing with left knee irritation and is being sent home from the road trip for treatment, league sources tell @NBAonPrime, @NBATV. He’ll be evaluated once the team returns Wednesday,” Haynes wrote.
“Kawhi Leonard sustained a contusion a week ago and has been dealing with some soreness since. It’s not seen as anything serious.”
Leonard has already dealt with injuries earlier this season. After playing in the first five games, he missed 10 consecutive contests as the Clippers went 2-8 in his absence.
Since returning, the 34-year-old star has been on a scorching tear. In the 24 games he played since returning from that injury, he averaged 29.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.
What’s Next for Clippers While Leonard Recovers?
It is disappointing news for the Clippers, as Leonard was showing off a dominant stretch of games. This included an explosive 55-point display in the 112-99 win over the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 28, on top of two 40-point displays and five 30-point performances.
Los Angeles has finally started to gain momentum after being at the bottom of the Western Conference standings for some time. The squad went 6-21 in their first 27 games but have since recovered to win 12 of their last 14 contests, returning to the conversation as a potential playoff contender.
Los Angeles has an 18-23 record at the moment, holding the 11th spot in the West standings. They are even with the Memphis Grizzlies but trail the Portland Trail Blazers by two games and the Golden State Warriors by five games.
Rolling with five consecutive wins, the Clippers will resume their time on a three-game road trip. They prepare for the second contest of that stretch with a duel against the Washington Wizards on Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. ET.
