The Los Angeles Clippers, down 3-2 in their first-round Western Conference series against the Dallas Mavericks, will have to try to stay alive without Kawhi Leonard in Friday’s Game 6 due to inflammation in his right knee.
The All-Star forward, who played limited and relatively unproductive minutes in Game 3, missed Games 4 and 5.
Leonard, who scored 45 points at Dallas in Game 6 of the teams’ first-round series in 2021, but won’t be active as the Clippers try to force a Game 7.
Terance Mann was added to the injury report Thursday, drawing a “questionable” designation due to a bruised lower right leg.
The Mavericks routed the Clippers 123-93 in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said prior to that game he wasn’t sure about Leonard’s availability.
“It’s a day-to-day thing,” Lue said, “and when he’s feeling good and medical says he’s clear to go, that’s what we’ll do.”
Leonard, who turns 33 in June, was out for the team’s last eight regular-season games as well as the first game of this series.
In Game 2, Leonard scored 15 points, then had nine points and nine rebounds in Game 3.
The Clippers won at Dallas without him in Game 4 before the Game 5 drubbing in Los Angeles.
-Field Level Media