The LA Clippers embarked on a quick, two-game road trip that will take them East where they'll face the Chicago Bulls on the first night of a back-to-back set. Some of the biggest question marks surrounding the Clippers right now are the injury statuses of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
The team has put out their injury report for Thursday night's game, officially listing Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as as questionable to play against Chicago. Leonard is dealing with thoracic spasms and Harden with a left shoulder strain.
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against the Bulls.
Paul George is not on the injury report.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 13, 2024
Kawhi Leonard injury status
Kawhi Leonard played the entire first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. During the end-of-quarter timeout, he appeared to be stretching his back in discomfort. He spoke with head coach Tyronn Lue and attempted to stretch his back out again before departing for the Clippers locker room.
While the team didn't officially announce it until after halftime, the NBA broadcast captured Kawhi Leonard, who had since changed into street clothes, leaving the arena midway through the second quarter. At the start of the third quarter, the Clippers announced that Leonard would miss the remainder of Tuesday's game with thoracic spasms — better known as back spasms.
He would not return as the Clippers proceeded to be blown out by the Timberwolves at home in embarrassing fashion, blowing a 22-point lead and losing 118-100
After the game, head coach Tyronn Lue said the thoracic spasms were something that Leonard had been dealing with coming into the game.
“Yeah, he’s been dealing with it for a couple of days,” Lue admitted. “Back spasms and we weren't sure if he was going to go this morning. But he came to shoot-around, got some treatment, did what he had to do and tried to get on the court and play today and it just didn’t loosen up for him.”
A photo posted to the team's social media account on Wednesday showed Leonard among the traveling party for this two-game trip starting against the Bulls. Given that the Clippers are on the first half of a back-to-back set, it would be surprising to see Leonard suit up for both games.
Additionally, the Clippers currently sit just two games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans in the standings. LA is already 1-2 against New Orleans this season, making Friday's contest between the Clippers and Pelicans as close to a must-win as it gets at this point in the season.
James Harden injury status
James Harden has been dealing with a shoulder issue for several games now, and it's apparent with his on-court play. The team has listed Harden on their injury report the last few games with a left shoulder strain, but the Clippers' starting point guard has yet to miss a game all season.
After missing the team's first four games, Harden has played in 59 straight games for LA. That, however, appears to be in jeopardy with the upcoming back-to-back set and a more vocal stance on needing to find him rest.
In addition to playing all 59 games — which is already more than Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this season — arden has played a team-high 34.6 minutes per game since arriving in L.A. He has never played fewer than 25 minutes in a game with the Clippers, but has 17 games over 38 minutes and six over 40 minutes.
Simply put, James Harden is being worn down, and it's time to give him a breather.
“I mean he wants to play,” Tyronn Lue told members of the media Wednesday. “He wants to play every night and that's the great thing about James, but he — and we — also have to be smart about it. And so if it's having to cut his minutes in the game a little bit, he's not playing the same amount of minutes.
“But then also pre and post practice shoot arounds, like just cutting his workload down because he stays after and works a long time and works a lot just getting his rhythm, working with the bigs on how to set the pick and roll, how to roll and things like that. So if we can cut some of that back to try to save his legs and save him, that'd be better for us as well.”
James Harden says he feels well and doesn't want to sit out games, but said he and the team will continue to work on his shoulder and take it game-by-game.
“We'll see tomorrow how I feel,” James Harden told members of the media on Tuesday night about playing against the Bulls.
James Harden, who is dealing with a shoulder/back injury the last few games, was having it tended to after the game. I asked him if he may need to take a game or two off:
"We'll see tomorrow how I feel." pic.twitter.com/Dhosexp0ca
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 13, 2024
The Clippers and Bulls will tip off Thursday night's game at 5PM PST, and there will be updates on both players a couple hours before the game.
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