The Los Angeles Clippers have been dealt a major blow as star forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. Leonard, who has been dealing with a sore right knee, was ruled out of the game on Sunday night.
The Clippers have been relying heavily on Leonard’s production in the playoffs, as he has averaged 28.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game in the first two games of the series. With Leonard out, the Clippers will be forced to rely on their other stars such as Paul George and Lou Williams to pick up the slack.
The Clippers have already been playing without starting center Serge Ibaka, who is out with a back injury. Without Leonard and Ibaka, the Clippers will be hard-pressed to find enough scoring to keep up with the high-powered Suns offense.
The Clippers will also be missing guard Patrick Beverley, who is out with a calf injury. Beverley has been a key contributor for the Clippers this season, averaging 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
The Clippers will need to find a way to make up for the loss of Leonard and Beverley if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. They will need to rely on their depth and get contributions from players such as Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, and Marcus Morris if they want to have any chance of winning the series.
It remains to be seen how the Clippers will fare without Leonard in Game 3, but it is clear that his absence will be felt. The Clippers will need to find a way to make up for his production if they want to stay alive in the playoffs.
