Clippers Face Crucial Moments Without Kawhi Leonard in Game 4 Against Mavericks

The Clippers are facing crucial moments as they prepare to play a critical Game 4 against the Mavericks on the road. After experiencing no signs of life during their previous match, hope for LA’s survival in this series has been left solely with Ivica Zubac, James Harden and Norman Powell while Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for just 16 points in Game 3. Russell Westbrook also struggled to produce any offense but became frustrated when he picked up a Flagrant 1 foul during an altercation with Dallas’ PJ Washington at the end of their contest. While fans witnessed troubling moments from Kawhi Leonard, who has been dealing with knee inflammation and missed both the final eight games of the regular season as well as Game 1 of these playoffs, this current crisis has placed further scrutiny upon LA’s future in its present form. The Clippers announced that their plan for Leonard was to manage his minutes but following a restricted performance during Game 2, it seems clear now that he is experiencing severe mobility issues which have left him unable to perform at the level required of an NBA superstar. Despite this setback, both Leonard and LA’s organization remain optimistic about his return as they continue their playoff series in Texas today at midday PT/1 p.m CT/2 p.m ET from American Airlines Center. However, Clippers president Lawrence Frank has confirmed that there is currently no timetable for the star player to make a comeback and it’s now up to LA’s other stars as well as their supporting cast off the bench to step up in his absence if they hope to remain competitive during this pivotal phase of their campaign. Tip-off from Dallas will be at 12:30 PM PDT today, April 24th.