Clippers Injury Report vs. Hornets: Kawhi Leonard Concern Continues for LA

Despite playing on both legs of a back-to-back over the weekend, Kawhi Leonard remains on the Clippers' injury report.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are playing their best basketball of the season, winning nine of their last 11 games to improve to 15-23. A big reason for their recent surge is the fact that they are healthier than they have been all season. Kawhi Leonard has played in the last 22 games, and James Harden has missed only three games all season. Both stars are playing over 35 minutes per game in the Clippers' recent hot streak. With Ivica Zubac also back in the starting lineup, the Clippers have their three best players healthy and playing at a high level.

That doesn't mean, however, that the Clippers are not dealing with significant injury concerns. Leonard sprained his right ankle against the Knicks on Wednesday and has been playing through the injury. After being listed as questionable to play against the Nets and the Pistons, the star forward suited up in both games. With the Clippers having returned to LA to host the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, Leonard is once again questionable on the official injury report.

Kawhi Leonard Questionable to Play vs. Hornets on Monday

Leonard is obviously not the only Clippers player listed on the report. In addition to Bradley Beal and Chris Paul, who will not play for the team this season, Derrick Jones Jr. and Bogdan Bogdanovic remain sidelined due to knee sprain and hamstring injury management, respectively. Amid these absences, head coach Ty Lue has been relying on Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders off the bench, and will continue to do so until further notice.

More importantly, however, the Clippers are going to depend on their starters to play as many minutes as they can handle. Kris Dunn, John Collins, and Harden all played over 37 minutes in the win against the Pistons on Saturday. With a depleted bench and a desperate need to turn their season around, the Clippers have no choice but to rely heavily on their veteran starters.

The Hornets, on the other hand, are coming off their biggest win of the season, having defeated the Utah Jazz 150-95 on the road on Saturday in the first game of their five-game West Coast trip. Veteran center Mason Plumlee is out, Collin Sexton and Pat Connaughton are questionable, and Miles Bridges are probable for Monday's clash. Charlotte's starters will be well-rested after none of them played over 24 minutes in the blowout win in Utah, giving them an edge over the older Clippers team.