NBA playoffs: Clippers rule out Kawhi Leonard for must-win Game 5 vs. Suns
Kawhi Leonard will sit again.
The Los Angeles Clippers ruled Leonard out for Game 5 on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns. They announced the decision Monday.
Leonard will miss his third straight game in the series due to a knee sprain. The Clippers also ruled out Paul George, who has been sidelined since the regular season due to a knee sprain. George was not expected to recover in time to play in the first round of the playoffs.
Leonard, a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, looked very much like his prime self in the first two games of the series. He led the Clippers to a Game 1 upset in Phoenix while posting 38 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. He shined again in a Game 2 loss, with 31 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals.
The road split with George on the sideline gave hope that Leonard could lead a Clippers challenge of a Suns team playing with healthy stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. The news of his injury put a damper on those hopes, and the Clippers have since fallen into a 3-1 hole, losing two straight at home.
Now they face a must-win Game 5 on the road with neither of their two best players.
