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Kawhi Leonard dropped a career-high 55 points in his latest game, prompting the NBA to announce big news on the Los Angeles Clippers star.
On the road in Louisiana, the Los Angeles Clippers are looking to jump out of their two-game hole with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
This past weekend, the Clippers had a rough outing at home against the Sacramento Kings. They watched their thriving star forward, Kawhi Leonard, leave the game early with an injury scare. Without him, the Clippers couldn’t survive the upset. The Kings defeated LAC 118-109.
The Clippers went into their next matchup against the red-hot San Antonio Spurs without Kawhi Leonard in the mix. While the Clippers put up a good fight, they didn’t have enough to take care of business on their home court. The Spurs won 119-115.
Heading into Wednesday, March 18, action against the Pelicans, the Clippers had several names in question. Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland were up in the air. Fortunately, the Clippers officially cleared them to play in New Orleans.
Clippers Announce Starting Lineup vs Pelicans After Kawhi Leonard News
GettyLOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 20, 2026: LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) questions a foul call against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on February 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Clippers will start Darius Garland, Derrick Jones Jr., Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Brook Lopez.
The Pelicans will start Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, and Saddiq Bey.
Underdog NBA
Lineup alert: Clippers will start Garland, Jones Jr., Leonard, Collins, Lopez on Wednesday.
The Clippers can let out a major sigh of relief.
When Leonard left last week’s Clippers-Kings game, he did not look like a player who could be back on the floor in less than three games. The star forward was in a ton of pain and struggled to walk it off back to the locker room.
It seems Leonard dodged a bullet, even if he isn’t one-hundred percent when he returns after a one-game absence. The Clippers certainly need the 34-year-old star to be on top of his game in order to make their dark-horse run in the Western Conference.
Where The Clippers Stand
Kawhi Leonard
GettyKawhi Leonard looking to help Los Angeles Clippers improve.
The Clippers are entering Wednesday’s game as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They are 4.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns, but they hold a 1.0-game lead over the struggling and undermanned Golden State Warriors.
The 2025-2026 NBA season hasn’t gone the way that the Clippers had hoped. When they entered the year, the Clippers believed they would be one of the top contenders in the conference. In addition to Leonard, the Clippers had many prominent names such as James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Chris Paul, and Bradley Beal.
Harden was shockingly traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of the deadline. Zubac was dealt to the Indiana Pacers. Paul was sent home in the fall and eventually traded and bought out by the Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, Beal was injured and ruled out for the year before the season started.
An early-season slump put the Clippers in a tough spot, but Leonard’s strong season led them in the right direction to pull them out. It’s been a tough climb, and injuries continue to make it difficult, but the Clippers have a shot at cracking the NBA Playoffs.
On Wednesday, they’ll get a chance to improve their standing in the Play-In with a matchup against the 23-46 Pelicans. The two teams are set for an 8 PM ET tip.