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

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has missed the team's last three games with a knee injury, but it appears he has a chance to play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Leonard has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday night's matchup after the Clippers sent him home from their road trip earlier in the week. This could be a huge boost for the Clips, as Leonard has played some of the best basketball of his career over the last two months.

Kawhi Leonard is QUESTIONABLE to play vs. the Lakers with a left knee contusion. https://t.co/vlcWlS9S9B
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 22, 2026

Oddsmakers seem to think there is a chance that the two-time NBA Finals MVP plays in this matchup, as the Clippers are 1.5-point favorites at home. The Lakers are expected to have both LeBron James and Luka Doncic in action, so it's interesting that the 19-24 Clippers are favored in this matchup.

There's no doubt that this line would flip in favor of the Lakers if Leonard ends up sitting, but it appears he's at least got a chance to play.

If he does, the Clippers star could be worth a look in the prop market on Jan. 22.

Best Kawhi Leonard Prop Bet vs. Lakers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Kawhi Leonard OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-142)

The Lakers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA as of late, ranking 25th in the league in defensive rating over their last 15 games. They are also just 18th in opponent 3-point percentage this season, which sets up well for one of my favorite props for Leonard this season.

Kawhi is taking a career-high 7.3 shots per game from beyond the arc, and he's knocking them down at an impressive 39.9 percent clip. Not only that, but Leonard had posted five games in a row with three or more made 3-pointers before going down with this knee injury.

Overall, the Clippers star has 17 games this season with three or more made 3-pointers, and he's shooting 42.5 percent from 3 on 9.1 attempts per game in the month of January.

If he's able to suit up, the six-time All-Star is a no-brainer pick in this market against the Lakers.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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