Is Kawhi Leonard Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Clippers vs. Pelicans)

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard returned from an ankle injury on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting (4-of-6 from deep).

However, it wasn't enough for the Clippers to get a win, and they're now back under .500 for the season after losing three games in a row. L.A. has a quick turnaround on Thursday, as it'll face the Pelicans for the second night in a row.

Leonard missed one game with a sprained ankle that he suffered in a loss to the Sacramento Kings, but it's possible he missed the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday. Leonard has played in a bunch of back-to-backs this season, but the Clippers don't want to risk losing their superstar forward down the stetch of the regular season.

L.A. has yet to release an injury report, so bettors will want to continue to check on that before betting on this game. There seems to be a chance that Leonard could miss this game, as the Clippers are set as road underdogs in the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.

This season, Los Angeles is just 4-11 in the 15 games that Leonard has missed, though it is six games over .500 when he's in the lineup.

The two-time NBA Finals MVP is averaging 28.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. If he's unable to play on Thursday, the Clippers would likely close as underdogs in this matchup.

This story will be updated with Leonard's status once the Clippers release an injury report for Thursday's game.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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