Spurs’ Leonard likely won’t play in Game 4

SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs probably will be without Kawhi Leonard again for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Monday, head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters after practice Sunday.

“It wouldn’t make much sense,” Popovich said of playing Leonard in Game 4. “If he’s unable to play yesterday, I don’t think there’s going to be a miraculous healing by tomorrow.”

Leonard missed Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against Houston after spraining the ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 5. He re-sprained it twice in the third quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals May 14, the second time when he landed on the foot of Warriors center Zaza Pachulia after a jump shot.

Leonard missed Games 2 and 3 and didn’t practice Sunday. With the Spurs facing a 3-0 hole to Golden State, they probably won’t want to risk worsening the MVP candidate’s injury when the odds of them winning the series would be long even with him healthy. No team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit, and the Warriors’ 11-0 record matches the best postseason start in NBA history.

Popovich said Sunday that David Lee, who sustained a left knee injury late in the first quarter of Game 3 while coming down on a layup attempt, “probably” will miss Game 4. The good news for San Antonio: The injury to the ex-Warriors forward appears to be less of a problem than the team initially thought.

“I don’t think it’s serious,” Popovich said of Lee’s injury. “He did an MRI, but we haven’t gotten the results yet. He’s got like a bruise or something like that. It stiffened up on him. It didn’t really swell up, it just got stiff. He’ll probably be out.” Injury updates: Pachulia is questionable for Game 4 with a right heel contusion.

Pachulia didn’t return after leaving Game 2 on Tuesday in the first quarter. He finished the game with four points, two assists and a rebound in seven minutes, and he had an MRI exam Wednesday that came back clean.

Still, Pachulia missed Game 3 on Saturday. JaVale McGee started at center and had 16 points in 13 minutes.

Andre Iguodala, who returned from left knee soreness to play 19 minutes in Game 3, is listed as probable for Game 4.