Clippers lack clarity on Kawhi Leonard’s Game 1 availability – Orange County Register

PLAYA VISTA — Clarity over Kawhi Leonard’s availability became slightly murkier Thursday when it was revealed that the two-time NBA Finals MVP is still dealing with inflammation in his right knee.

Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations for the Clippers, said Leonard continues to “do everything” possible to play in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. He said Leonard was “questionable” for Sunday’s opener.

“Our medical staff is doing everything to reduce the inflammation so that he can play. Progress has been made, but there is still much to do,” Frank said. “The inflammation needs to continue to decrease for him to be able to perform functional basketball movements.”

Frank, however, looked hopeful that Leonard might be ready to play despite the lack of conditioning.

“But it’s Thursday, isn’t it?” So, as far as where we’re headed, is there any chance he could play? Of course it’s possible,” Frank said. “It’s Thursday. And like I said, every day we’ll know more and more.

Leonard first felt pain in his surgically repaired knee after the Clippers’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 31 and missed the final eight games of the regular season. Three days before the first match, he still has not participated in full-contact drills or started any physical build-up.

“Inflammation is unpredictable, so we would love to have a crystal ball and Kawhi would love to have a crystal ball and know exactly that day (he will be ready),” Frank said. “But you just control what you can control and hopefully the inflammation will go down in a short period of time and he’ll be back on the field. That’s the goal.”

Frank declined to comment on a report that Leonard received a cortisone injection in his knee that would help his recovery in early April, saying the team was doing “everything we medically can” to get him back on the field.

The All-Star forward had his healthiest season since arriving in Los Angeles, playing in 68 games, the most since he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2016-17. He averaged a career-high 34.3 minutes this season.

Frank said there was nothing structurally wrong with Leonard’s knee and the inflammation had nothing to do with the torn ACL in 2021 or the injury to his meniscus last season.

Leonard played in Games 1 and 2 of their first-round series last season against the Phoenix Suns, averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists, then missed the final three games in due to a torn meniscus. Without him and fellow All-Star Paul George, the Clippers were eliminated by the Suns in five games.

Meanwhile, coach Tyronn Lue continues to train with or without his star striker. He said the Clippers (51-31) had gone over many plays and plans over the past three days to prepare for the Mavericks (50-32) and were “locked in.”

“You don’t want to overdo it where their brain is overcrowded,” Lue said. “We did some different things, worked on some adjustments that we need to make if we’re going to do it throughout the game.