Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight against Orlando Magic? Latest injury update from LA Clippers (October 31st)

The LA Clippers are scheduled to face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, October 31. Orlando will be on the second night of a back-to-back, having lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. At the time of writing, Kawhi Leonard is expected to participate in the contest.

Leonard, 32, has participated in the Clippers opening three games. He's averaging 23.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, shooting 48.1% from the field and 54.5% from 3-point range. The All-Star wing is also playing exceptional defense and has been operating at an elite level for such an early juncture in the season.

The Clippers will be without Brandon Boston Jr. and Terance Mann. Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac are both listed as questionable heading into the game. Ty Lue has his Clippers team playing a stringent brand of defense and is clearly looking for his team to develop an identity on that end of the court.

Russell Westbrook has also enjoyed a strong start to the season as he bids to rebuild his value around the NBA after two negative years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Westbrook has been exceptional to start the NBA calendar, providing solid impact across the court and leading the offense with his no-fear approach to the game.

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The LA Clippers have acquired James Harden

During the early hours of October 31, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the LA Clippers were acquiring James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers. LA is sending Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, and KJ Martin to Philadelphia as part of the deal, along with multiple picks and pick swaps.

Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev are heading to the Clippers as part of the deal. The trade ends a months-long saga where the former MVP has tried to force his way to the Western Conference franchise. The deal also represents a win for the Clippers, who remained steadfast in their desire to retain Terance Mann. The fact they landed Harden without giving up Mann in the deal is regarded as a win.

The Clippers should now be considered among the favorites to win the Western Conference this season. Although they will face stern competition from the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Harden has one year remaining on his current contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current season. The Clippers are pushing all their chips into contending this season. Harden's presence will improve the team's offense and playmaking. However, if things don't work out as planned, the Clippers won't be tied to the former MVP for years to come.

All-in-all, this is a smart deal by the Clippers front office.