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Kawhi Leonard played the first 27 games in a row of the 2023-24 NBA season but missed the last two with a left hip contusion. The two-time finals MVP will miss tonight's game, too. Leonard sustained the injury on Dec. 20. He's been day-to-day for six days.
The Clippers would've hoped he was good to go, as his absence has directly impacted their results lately. LA has lost two on the bounce in Leonard's absence. He's been the Clippers' best player in December amid their 9-0 winning streak before the recent losses. Leonard averaged 29.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 61/50/96 splits.
The Clippers endured a 134-115 loss to the OKC Thunder and a 145-108 defeat to the Boston Celtics while Leonard spent time on the sidelines. They dropped to 17-12 after these games.
What happened to Kawhi Leonard?
Leonard sustained a hip injury during the Clippers' 120-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks. He got hip-checked by Grant Williams on a play and fell to the ground, leading to his injury. Leonard was able to finish that game. He played 37 minutes, scored 30 points, and tallied 10 rebounds and five assists.
Kawhi Leonard stats vs Hornets
Leonard has played 16 games against the Hornets. He's averaged 19.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 3.0 apg against the Eastern Conference team. Leonard has shot on 54/34/88 splits against the Hornets. He holds a 13-3 record against them. Leonard and the Clippers will face the Hornets for the first time this season.
Clippers' ceiling without Kawhi Leonard at test against Hornets
If Leonard doesn't play Tuesday's contest, the Clippers might find out their ceiling against the lowly Hornets. The Clippers got a pass for their losses against a healthy Thunder and nearly healthy Celtics team without Leonard. The Hornets seemingly appear to be an easier matchup despite Leonard's potential absence.
The Clippers have enough firepower to deal with a Hornets team as James Harden, Paul George and Russell Westbrook are all available, along with 6MOTY favorite Norman Powell. The Hornets are also depleted as they are without their best player, LaMelo Ball, making the Clippers the favorite to win this contest.
However, a loss could be alarming for LA. The team's built to withstand stretches without Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, who have been injury-prone. If winning games in their absence becomes an issue, the Clippers may have trouble securing a favorable seeding in the West.
