Is Darius Garland Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Clippers vs. Rockets)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland will not make his debut with his new team on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets.

Garland, who was brought to Los Angeles in the James Harden trade ahead of the deadline, has been ruled out for "left toe injury management" on Tuesday. According to Clippers executive Lawrence Frank, Garland has "basically recovered" from the right toe sprain that he suffered last month.

However, Garland had offseason surgery on his left toe, and he's still dealing with soreness there. That's led to the Clippers playing things slow with the two-time All-Star despite the fact that L.A. is in the mix for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Clippers guard Darius Garland is “basically recovered” from the right toe sprain suffered last month, says Lawrence Frank.

Garland is still recovering from left toe surgery, where there is soreness, Frank adds.

“We’re going to manage this correctly. We’re not going to skip any…
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 9, 2026

With the All-Star Game approaching, there's a good chance the Clippers decide to hold Garland out until after the break. This season, the star guard has been limited to just 26 games due to various injuries.

Still, Garland is averaging 18.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game, and he should slot in as the No. 2 option on offense behind Kawhi Leonard once he's healthy enough to play. The Clippers, who are coming off a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, are 25-27 this season and have won 19 of their last 25 games.

However, L.A. is a road underdog against Houston on Tuesday night.

With Garland out, here's a look at my favorite prop bet for the Clips in this Western Conference battle.

Best Clippers Prop Bet vs. Rockets

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Kawhi Leonard OVER 29.5 Points (-114)

James Harden and Ivica Zubac were both shipped out of Los Angeles at the deadline, putting Kawhi Leonard in position to carry this Clippers team until Garland is able to return.

This season, Leonard is averaging 28.0 points per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. He's been even better in the month of February, averaging 30.2 points on 22.0 shots per game.

Leonard took 30 shots in the win over the Timberwolves on Sunday, and if his usage is anywhere near that again, he's a must bet in this market. The Rockets are No. 6 in the league in defensive rating, but Kawhi hung 41 points on them in their last meeting and has 65 points in two games against Houston this season.

With the Clippers lacking proven scoring options, I think Leonard is a great bet to score 30 or more points for the third game in a row.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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