Clippers Face Uphill Battle Against Mavericks Without Kawhi Leonard

The Los Angeles Clippers are facing a daunting challenge in their first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks as they may be without their star player Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee and has not played in an NBA game since March 31. His status for Game 1 on Sunday remains uncertain.

Clippers team president Lawrence Frank said the team is doing everything possible to get the inflammation down so Leonard can play, but acknowledged it is an unpredictable situation. "There's nothing structurally wrong with the knee, which is good news, but it's just the inflammation has to continue to go down," Frank said. "We're hopeful that the issue is trending in the right direction."

Without Leonard, the Clippers will have to rely heavily on Paul George and James Harden, who have spotty playoff histories. It will also hurt their defensive matchups against the Mavericks' dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Coach Tyronn Lue has been preparing the team to play with or without Leonard, going over plays and schemes to be ready for the Mavericks.

Why this matters: The absence of Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, significantly diminishes the Clippers' chances of advancing past the first round. The series against the Mavericks is expected to be one of the most competitive matchups in the playoffs, with both teams having championship aspirations.

Leonard finished the regular season averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 68 starts, his highest number of games played since the 2018-19 season with the Toronto Raptors. The Clippers went 7-7 without Leonard this season and have a 2-1 record against the Mavericks.

Frank said Leonard will likely be a game-time decision for Sunday's opener. "He's been doing some stuff on the court, but nothing that would replicate the high intensity of a playoff game," Frank noted. "It's literally just day-to-day, seeing the progress and how he's feeling."

The Clippers and Mavericks will play a best-of-seven series, with the first two games at the Clippers' home court. If Leonard is unable to play, the Clippers will need their other stars to step up and find a way to slow down the high-powered Mavericks offense. The chess match between coaches Lue and Jason Kidd will also be a key factor in determining which team advances to the second round.

Key Takeaways

• Kawhi Leonard's knee injury may sideline him for Clippers-Mavericks playoff series
• Clippers may have to rely on Paul George and James Harden without Leonard
• Clippers went 7-7 without Leonard, have 2-1 record against Mavericks this season
• Coaches Lue and Kidd's chess match will be key in determining series winner
• Clippers' chances of advancing diminished significantly without two-time Finals MVP Leonard