Kawhi Leonard to miss Game 1 of Clippers' playoff series against Mavericks
3-time NBA champ out due to right knee inflammation
Leonard suffered the injury during the Clippers' regular-season finale against the Denver Nuggets on April 12. He underwent an MRI, which revealed inflammation in his right knee.
The Clippers have been cautious with Leonard's injury, as he has a history of knee problems. He missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn ACL in his right knee.
In Leonard's absence, the Clippers will lean on Paul George and Reggie Jackson to lead the offense. George is averaging 23.6 points per game this season, while Jackson is averaging 17.8 points per game.
The Clippers will also need to get contributions from their bench. Nicolas Batum, Luke Kennard and Terance Mann are all capable of providing a scoring boost.
The Clippers are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, while the Mavericks are the No. 5 seed. The two teams split their two regular-season meetings.
Game 1 of the series will be played on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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