Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is facing a new challenge when his surgically repaired knee injury doesn’t respond as expected.

After struggling through 25 minutes in a 101-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard admitted that his right knee injury did not progress in the direction he expected. The status of this bridge for the 4th match of the NBA Playoffs round 1 series is still a big question mark.

Kawhi Leonard was out for 23 days and missed the final eight games of the regular season as well as the opening game of the first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. After returning for the second game, he scored 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Head coach Ty Lue said he doesn’t think Leonard is feeling anything too serious about his injury. However, the team is trying to find a way to fix it.

With Kawhi left open and Paul George in erratic form, the 46-year-old strategist had to move towards changes in the squad, such as using James Harden more in the third match. .

Leonard’s injury has created instability in the Clippers’ attack. Superstar Paul George emphasized that the team sees Kawhi Leonard’s efforts in fighting back from his knee injury. “We all want the best for him,” George said. “He’s fighting even though he’s not 100% fit to be here for us.”

In the situation of “depleted” forces, Clippers are still confident that they will overcome this difficulty and continue to fight in the playoffs series. They are currently leading 1-2 against the Dallas Mavericks in the Best of 7 series of round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.