Kawhi Leonard is questionable to play Tuesday's 2024 NBA Playoffs first-round series Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers. Leonard missed Game 1, his ninth straight absence. However, LA survived the Mavericks without their star player as James Harden, Paul George and Ivica Zubac produced solid efforts.All three bagged 20+ points in the win to compensate for Leonard's absence and protect home court. That win gave the Clippers the breathing room to be patient with Leonard's return. He has yet to go through contact practice, so Leonard could be far from making his return.What happened to Kawhi Leonard?Leonard dealt with right knee soreness after the Clippers' 130-118 win over the Hornets on Mar. 31. Coach Ty Lue said it was a minor issue then. Leonard was expected to return after a one-game absence, but his absence prolonged with each game, and he never returned to finish the regular season.However, Leonard had a setback amid his recovery as the knee soreness issue was updated to inflammation. According to Clippers GM Lawrence Frank, Leonard has struggled with making functional basketball moves, let alone begin contact training. However, he got an injection on Thursday before Game 1 to subsidize the inflammation.Leonard didn't undergo contact practice ahead of Game 2, either. The Clippers will determine his status based on morning shootaround and pre-game warm-ups.Kawhi Leonard's iffy status messes with Dallas Mavericks game plan in series openerThe Dallas Mavericks were anticipating Kawhi Leonard to play in the series opener on Sunday. However, Leonard didn't suit up despite carrying a questionable status. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic hinted that changed things for the Mavericks after the game. Irving said it was a "bit of an adjustment," while Doncic admitted Dallas prepared for Leonard to play.The Mavericks looked flat coming out, struggling to get their rotations right. However, Leonard's absence wasn't the only reason behind their issues. The Mavericks had an off night offensively after they scored only 30 points on 22.0% shooting in the first half. They trailed the Clippers by 26 points, and it became increasingly difficult for them to dig out of that hole in the final 24 minutes.However, Dallas showed flashes similar to their dominance in the final few weeks of the regular season in the second half. The Mavericks are unlikely to have a first half that bad again. The Clippers must find a sustainable way to win, especially if Kawhi Leonard remains sidelined.