Kawhi Leonard injury update, Kawhi Leonard, Clippers, Lakers
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Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome on December 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday night’s blockbuster LA Clippers versus Los Angeles Lakers contest after he missed the previous three games with a left knee contusion.
While there’s still no guarantee that “The Klaw” will suit up in the clash between the intercity rivals, it’s a positive update for the Clippers after concerns that their best player could be sidelined for an extended period with his knee issue.
Leonard was abruptly sent back home from Washington last weekend, ahead of the Clippers’ MLK Day clash against the Wizards. Per insider Chris Haynes, Leonard had complained about irritation and soreness in his left knee for nearly a week, leading to the Clippers pulling him from the rotation and treating him at their home facility.
Joey Linn
Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable tomorrow against the Lakers.
Kawhi Leonard Injury Update
However, Haynes reported at the time that Leonard’s knee contusion was “not seen as anything serious” despite his history of lower extremity injuries. He added that Leonard would miss at least one week of action and would be reevaluated when the Clippers return from their three-game road trip, which they did on Wednesday.
According to ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly, Leonard sustained the injury during an away game against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 10 when he apparently took two blows to the left knee from Ausar Thompson and Paul Reed. That game also marked the second night of a back-to-back after the Clippers faced the Brooklyn Nets the previous night.
The oft-injured Leonard has been relatively healthy this season, appearing in 30 of the Clippers’ 43 games thus far, and playing several sets of back-to-back games. After sitting out the first 10 games recovering from offseason foot and ankle injuries, Leonard hadn’t missed any time until his latest left knee contusion.
Leonard was averaging career-highs in points (28.2), 3PM (2.9), steals (2.2) and FT% (.941) before his three-game injury absence.
Lakers Slight Favorites
The Lakers (26-16) enter Thursday’s game against the Clippers (19-24) as slight 1.5-point favorites despite playing at the latter’s home arena, the Intuit Dome, perhaps due to the uncertainty surrounding Leonard’s availability.
While the Lakers own a significantly better record, the Clippers have been the in-form team since the start of December. During this timeframe, the Clippers (14-9) own the sixth-best record in the league, while the Lakers (11-12) have been sub-.500.
The intercity rivals split the last two games of the season, with the Clippers prevailing 103-88 the last time they met on Dec. 20. During that game, Leonard had a monster stat line of 32 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
The good news for the Lakers entering Thursday’s game is that star guard Austin Reaves (calf strain) and rookie Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) are the only players listed on the injury report. JJ Redick’s team is coming back-to-back wins against the Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors after losing five of their previous six games.
Lakers versus Clippers will tip off at 7 p.m. local time on Amazon Prime Video.