Kawhi Leonard Addresses Lingering Ankle Injury After Loss to Magic

Kawhi Leonard played through an ankle injury on Sunday. The additional days of rest before the Clippers' next game should help.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Watching Kawhi Leonard put on a vintage display against the Orlando Magic, you wouldn't be able to tell that he is dealing with an ankle sprain. The LA Clippers star delivered yet another MVP-caliber performance on Sunday, putting up 37 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks on 14/25 shooting from the field in 33 minutes of action. The Clippers had the chance to win it at the buzzer as Bennedict Mathurin missed a three-pointer, but Leonard's performance, despite being listed as questionable on the injury report before the game, was certainly encouraging.

After the game, Leonard addressed the ankle issue he has been dealing with and why he had to leave Friday's loss against the Lakers early.

Kawhi Leonard on his lingering ankle injury and leaving the Lakers game early:

“I only had two minutes left in the game to play anyways. Just been a lingering injury. They said if it didn’t loosen up just let them know. I told medical I’d rather play whatever minutes I played… pic.twitter.com/sTfHvmw95j

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) February 23, 2026

Kawhi Leonard Still "Battling Through" an Ankle Injury

Leonard called his left ankle soreness a "lingering injury," per team insider Joey Linn. The 34-year-old added that the ankle didn't loosen up, and he didn't want to risk "blowing it out" in the last few minutes. Instead, he went back and got treatment.

It's a positive development that Leonard didn't suffer any setbacks. He was able to finish the game against the Magic, playing 33 minutes. Whether that was due to a minutes restriction and that was the most Leonard was allowed to play, is unclear. The star forward said that his ankle "felt alright tonight," but he is "still battling through it."

The fact that Leonard didn't miss any additional time, was able to finish the game, and delivered an excellent performance is great for his rest-of-season outlook.

To give Clippers fans more reasons for optimism, LA has an extended rest period before their next game. The Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Three additional days of rest without any travel should give Leonard plenty of time to let the ankle heal.

Leonard dealt with a knee contusion and a right ankle sprain earlier in the season. This has kept him out in 13 games, but he has largely been healthier than expected. He has looked as fit and athletic as ever when he has been on the court, averaging career highs in points and usage rate.

The Clippers need Leonard to continue playing at the level he has been at to reach their postseason goals. Sitting in tenth place in the Western Conference with 25 games left in the regular season is not an ideal position to be in, but the Clippers are only three games behind the No. 8 seed Warriors. If Leonard doesn't miss any time, the Clippers should feel good about their chances of being a top-eight seed at the end of the season.