Kawhi Leonard Addresses Bradley Beal's Absence After Blowout Loss to Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard spoke on teammate Bradley Beal's absence after a blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday

Oct 24, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (0) warms up prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers were without star guard Bradley Beal in Tuesday’s 98-79 loss to the Golden State Warriors, as the highly touted offseason acquisition was ruled out for the game with low back soreness. Tuesday’s game marked Beal’s second consecutive absence, as he also missed Sunday’s 114-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Beal has played exactly 20 minutes in his two appearances with the Clippers this season, scoring 5 points on 2-of-5 shooting in a blowout loss to Utah and 6 points on 2-of-4 shooting in a decisive win over the Phoenix Suns. Beal was already entering the regular season after a knee injury kept him out for most of the postseason, which partially explains the lack of minutes. 

So off ball, movement Bradley Beal is back for the Clippers. pic.twitter.com/f7xVLACgt7

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) October 18, 2025

Beal has never played fewer than 31 minutes per game throughout his 14-year career, even playing upwards of 32 minutes per game during a rocky stint in Phoenix that saw the first major production decrease of his career. While his current stat line of 5.5 points, one rebound and one assist per game is unlikely to stick, it appears he’s tracking toward another substantial decrease.

Kawhi's Comments

Regardless, Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard knows how important it is for the team to not only get Beal back but also to a place where he can make meaningful contributions for a team with legitimate aspirations of a deep playoff run. When asked by veteran reporter Law Murray about Beal’s importance offensively, Leonard complimented what Beal brings to the table.

“You know, he's very dynamic,” Leonard said. “He's led the league in scoring one year, (he’s a) three-level scorer. So, you know, that says it all there. And hopefully he's back next game and hopefully he's feeling well.”

Asked Kawhi Leonard about Bradley Beal's absence and importance to the team

"Hopefully he's back next game, and hopefully he's feeling well" pic.twitter.com/qRwjQJAeCr

— Law Murray 🎃 (@LawMurrayTheNU) October 29, 2025

Tuesday’s lack of offensive output made it clear that Beal’s scoring presence is needed, as Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac combined for 52 of the Clippers' 79 points, which was the team’s lowest single-game scoring total since a 92-79 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021 that occurred exactly four years and one day to the date of Tuesday’s disappointment. 

The Clippers will look to get back in the winning column against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, marking the start of a three-game homestand. The hope, as Leonard alluded to, is that Beal will be healthy enough to return and give the team a much-needed boost against a Pelicans team that already appears vulnerable to start the season.