Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Big blow: Leonard suffers knee injury
Clippers star out for Game 5, status going forward unclear
All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard has a right knee sprain that will keep him out of the Clippers lineup for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz on Wednesday night and raises questions about his availability going forward.
The Clippers said Wednesday that there is “no timetable for his return.”
ESPN first reported that more imaging needs to be done to determine the severity of the sprained ligament after the swelling subsides.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Salt Lake City; Game 6 of the series is Friday night in Los Angeles.
It’s a massive blow for the fourth-seeded Clippers, who have split the first four games of their series with the top-seeded Jazz and are trying to reach the West finals for the first time in franchise history.
Leonard is a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and is averaging 30.4 points on 57% shooting in the playoffs.
The Clippers were 11-9 without Leonard during the regular season. They’re 6-1 so far in the playoffs when he scores at least 28 points, 0-4 otherwise.
Leonard’s injury appeared to occur with about 5:20 left in Game 4 of the series against the Jazz on Monday night, when he was fouled on a drive by Bojan Bogdanovic. Leonard was dribbling into the lane when he was bumped, and his right knee appeared to buckle slightly. He grimaced in some discomfort, missed the two free throws that were awarded following the foul, but remained in the game for 45 more seconds.
He checked out with 4:35 remaining and didn’t return; the Clippers led by 16 points when he checked out and the lead remained in double figures the rest of the way.
Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
If the Clippers-Jazz series ends Friday, Game 1 of the West finals between the Clippers-Jazz winner and the second-seeded Suns will be Sunday.
Paul in protocol: Suns point guard Chris Paul entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be available for the start of the West finals.
The Suns said Paul’s status will be evaluated again Saturday.
Paul reportedly has been vaccinated against COVID-19. And that may mean that Paul could be cleared to return more quickly than some who tested positive earlier this season before vaccines were readily available; it wasn’t uncommon for players who entered the protocols to miss two weeks or more.
The 36-year-old Paul is averaging 15.7 points and 8.7 assists per game in these playoffs.
Lots to manage for Nets: The Nets will continue to play without Kyrie Irving and don’t know exactly what kind of production they will get from James Harden as the star players deal with injuries.
None of that might make any difference if Kevin Durant keeps performing the way he has thus far in the Nets’ East semifinal series against the Bucks.
The Nets own a 3-2 series lead thanks largely to Durant, who delivered a performance for the ages as the Nets rallied from a 17-point deficit in a 114-108 Game 5 victory Tuesday in New York.
After Durant played all 48 minutes and Harden played 46 minutes Tuesday, how long can they reasonably play in Game 6 on Thursday in Milwaukee?
“I think that’s something that we have to feel out as we go,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Wednesday.
Nash said both Durant and Harden felt fine after their heavy workloads Tuesday.
Harden shot 1 of 10 and scored just five points but had eight assists and six rebounds in his first action since tightness in his right hamstring knocked him out in the opening minute of Game 1.
Irving missed all of Game 5 and won’t play Thursday after spraining his right ankle in Game 4.
Durant picked up the slack Tuesday night by collecting 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. He became the first player in league history to have at least 45 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a playoff game.