LOS ANGELES — After a week of murky medical updates, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been officially ruled out of Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Mavericks.
Clippers coach Ty Lue announced Leonard's status during Sunday's pregame press conference. Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season due to lingering inflammation in his right knee.
“It's a tough situation for him, but he's getting better,” Lue said. “He's making progress. He's been on the court the last few days. You can see how he's doing, but understandably he's frustrated. To do the kind of work he's done this year, he needs He needs to play as many games as he did. It's a tough situation for him, but we're ready for him.”
Amir Coffey will replace Leonard in Lue's starting lineup along with James Harden, Terrence Mann, Paul George, and Ivica Zubac.
Leonard, the Clippers' leading scorer with 23.7 points per game, is part of a dynamic scoring duo that also includes George. Asked if the Clippers' medical staff has any idea whether Leonard will be able to participate in contact drills this week, Lue said, “We're not there yet,” and whether Leonard will be available for the remainder of the series. Further questions arise.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said the team is preparing for both possibilities, with or without Leonard.
“The matchups are a little different without him, but we still have to play,” Kidd said.
When asked for details, Kidd smiled and said, “I'll have to see.”
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