Kawhi

Leonard

Leonard’s left ankle stiffened up late in Friday’s loss to the Lakers, forcing the Clippers star to the sidelines. If he cannot play against the Magic, Bennedict Mathurin will take on added importance for the team offensively, likely being their featured option.

Mathurin followed up his 38-point home debut with another productive outing on Friday. He worked his way to the free-throw line consistently and, when he wasn’t at the stripe, shot relatively well from the floor. Mathurin eventually fouled out of this game during the fourth quarter, which left the Clippers without many scoring options after Kawhi Leonard (ankle) had already exited. If Leonard misses any time, Mathurin will likely function as the Clippers’ primary scorer.

Leonard exited the game midway through the fourth quarter with what’s being described as ankle soreness. He had tallied 31 points in as many minutes before exiting, leading all Clippers players in scoring. Leonard was replaced by Kris Dunn in the lineup after subbing out. If Leonard is forced to miss any time, Bennedict Mathurin immediately becomes the Clippers’ go-to offensive option.

Leonard had a mediocre game by his standards but still extended his streak of 20-point games to a career-best 34. The three-point shot was notably off, preventing him from posting better offensive numbers. But his lower scoring was more so a result of the guys around him stepping up and making contributions, specifically Bennedict Mathurin and his 38 points. Nonetheless, the Clippers will remain very reliant on Leonard moving forward. They’ll play the Lakers on Friday, the second night of a back-to-back.

Team USA Stars ultimately lost to Team USA Stripes in the championship, but overall, this was a great performance from Leonard, who has had an excellent season for the Clippers. De’Aaron Fox hit a game-winning triple to beat the Stripes in the first matchup, but Leonard provided the heroics in his home arena against Team World. He scored 31 points in that 12-minute game, including what ended up being the game-winning triple. However, he fell flat in the championship game. Still, Kawhi has been incredible this season and will get the next few days off to ensure he is fresh for the final stretch of the season.

The first three quarters were rough for Kawhi, but he caught fire late. He scored 19 of his 27 points in the final frame, which included a game-winning and-one over Amen Thompson. It was a vintage final frame from Leonard in what has been an incredible season for him. He’ll play in the All-Star Game this weekend and then get a few days off before looking to stay hot over the final two months of the season.

After dropping 41 points in Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves, Leonard was held in check by the Rockets. With James Harden and Ivica Zubac gone and Darius Garland (toe) not ready to make his Clippers’ debut, even more of the workload has fallen on Leonard’s shoulders. And he’s been up to the task, even with Tuesday’s pedestrian — by his standards — effort. The Clippers visit the Rockets again on Wednesday before going into the All-Star break.

While Leonard’s offensive output will grab the headlines, how he started Sunday’s rout set the tone for the Clippers. He recorded steals on three consecutive possessions and scored 12 points in the first quarter. Leonard finished with his fourth 40-point game of the season and a robust overall stat line. With the Clippers trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac, the path to the postseason became much more arduous. But, as long as Leonard’s on the floor, they’ve got a chance. The Clippers play five games in Week 17, with a road back-to-back against the Rockets before the All-Star break.

The Clippers needed a big win to stop their two-game skid, and they got it on Friday, with Collins’ 22 points being a key reason why. The veteran power forward was good on the glass in his 34 minutes and functioned well as a secondary scorer alongside Kawhi Leonard. Collins concluded as one of two Clippers to score at least 20 points, as his run as an efficient scorer continues. His fantasy basketball value could receive a boost with the departures of two highly featured starters ahead of the trade deadline.

Without Ivica Zubac and James Harden, who were both traded ahead of Wednesday’s trade deadline, Leonard led the new-look Clippers to a win on Friday, ending a two-game skid. The two-time Finals MVP reached the 30-point mark for the first time since mid-January and set a new season-high in assists in the process. Leonard also fell one rebound short of a double-double, posting one of his more balanced performances of the season. Until the Clippers get their newly acquired players into the lineup, particularly Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, expect Leonard to shoulder most of the load on a nightly basis.