Kawhi Leonard won’t play for Clippers in Game 4 vs. Mavericks with knee inflammation, could be out longer

The Los Angeles Clippers have announced that Kawhi Leonard will not play in Sunday’s Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks. And that might only be the beginning.

President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told the media Sunday that Leonard would be out for the critical Game 4 with right knee inflammation. Frank said that it was an organizational decision. Leonard’s inflamed knee is the same one he had surgically repaired a few years ago, which makes this whole process complicated, Frank said. Leonard missed the last eight games of the regular season and Game 1 of the Mavs series before returning for Games 2 and 3, but the pain will now force him to sit, and Frank has no idea when Leonard will be back.

The Mavericks lead the Clippers 2-1 in this first-round series, but tonight it will be difficult without Leonard, even if he hasn’t been playing like himself lately.

According to Frank, it seems like there’s a legitimate chance Leonard could be out for more than just this series.

But the Clippers have to make it past the Mavericks before they can worry about beyond anything that. They face Dallas at 3:30 pm ET on ABC.