The entire fanbase of the Los Angeles Clippers was shocked on Thursday when it was revealed that Kawhi Leonard wouldn’t participate in Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns because of a knee injury.
Losing Leonard hurt badly and the Clippers eventually fell 129-124 to the Suns.
Following the game, head coach Ty Lue opened up about how much the absence of Leonard affected the superstar.
“It’s very deflating,” Lue said, according to Mirjam Swanson.
“I think more so for Kawhi. You have a guy coming off an ACL…works extremely hard to get to this point, so it’s tough for him,” he added.
Tyronn Lue on emotions today, learning the Kawhi Leonard news. Reiterates that it's most deflating for Kawhi: "It's very deflating. I think more so for Kawhi. You have a guy coming off an ACL … works extremely hard to get to this point, so it's tough for him."
— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) April 21, 2023
The Clippers really wanted and needed Leonard on Thursday night.
During his first two games of these playoffs, Leonard has averaged 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
He helped his team secure a surprise win in Game 1.
Thursday’s game shows just how hard it is for the Clippers to fully function without Leonard.
They kept it close but only because Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook played like men with their lives on the line.
They scored 42 and 30 points, respectively.
Imagine how the score would have looked if Leonard was on the floor.
Now everyone is wondering just how serious Leonard’s latest injury is.
Will he be able to suit back up for Game 4 or is he going to miss more games?
If Leonard is out for an extended amount of time, it’ll be very hard for the Clippers to push into the second round.
The fact that Paul George is still out only makes matters worse.
As they have before many times, all fans of the Clippers are now waiting and hoping for good news about their star player.
NEXT: Skip Bayless Has A Strong Opinion About Kawhi Leonard Missing Game 3
