LA Clippers' Kawhi Leonard Out vs. Timberwolves with Mouth Laceration
LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will miss Tuesday night's contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a mouth laceration that required eight stitches, coach Tyronn Lue announced before the game.
This is the second consecutive game that Leonard will miss because of the injury, which he suffered in the fourth quarter of LA's Christmas Day contest with the Denver Nuggets. Leonard went down bloodied after catching an inadvertent elbow to the face from teammate Serge Ibaka.
LA's first game without Leonard went about as poorly as possible, as the Clippers got blown out in historic fashion by the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon. LA faced a 50-point deficit at halftime and ended up losing by a final score of 124-73.
Luke Kennard got the start in Leonard's place on Sunday, logging seven points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal across 29 minutes. He'll fill that position again on Tuesday night, according to Lue, who cited Kennard's shooting and playmaking ability as the reasoning behind the decision.
At the moment, there's no telling when Leonard will be able to return. There are some signs that he'll be back sooner rather than later, as he participated in practice on Monday and was seen warming up ahead of Tuesday's contest. There's a chance he could play on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, but it's hard to determine the likelihood.
In addition to Leonard, the Clippers will also be without Marcus Morris Sr. for Tuesday's contest, who has yet to make an appearance this season. The veteran forward has been dealing with right knee soreness since training camp, and while Lue claims he is progressing, there's still no timetable for his return.
Expect Nicolas Batum to continue starting in Morris' place.
The LA Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves will take the floor at 7:00 p.m. PT.
