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Kawhi Leonard dropped a career-high 55 points in his latest game, prompting the NBA to announce big news on the Los Angeles Clippers star.
As the Los Angeles Clippers work on life without James Harden and Ivica Zubac, the star forward Kawhi Leonard has a lot on his plate.
The star forward is working on building chemistry with his new teammates, while making a postseason push after a wildly disappointing start to the 2025-2026 NBA season.
As the Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers battled on February 20, Leonard saw his night end prematurely. He left the court with an apparent lower-body injury.
LA Clippers Coach Ty Lue Addresses Kawhi Leonard’s Early Exit
Shortly after the game, Clippers head coach Ty Lue was met with questions regarding Leonard’s early exit. The head coach told reporters that Leonard entered the game with ankle soreness. As the game played out, Leonard’s ankle felt stiff, resulting in his eventual absence.
So far, it doesn’t sound like Leonard is dealing with a long-term issue. A lengthy Leonard loss would be a critical issue.
As usual, the Clippers will continue monitoring Kawhi Leonard’s health moving forward. Consistently finding himself on the team’s injury report, the star forward remains careful with his health as he reaches the later stages of his career.
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Being the top player on the roster, Leonard is a major reason for the Clippers’ success. His absences over time have been a primary reason behind many of their struggles.
Ronald Martinez/GettyKawhi Leonard left the Clippers-Lakers matchup with an injury.
Why Did Kawhi Leonard Leave The Clippers-Lakers Matchup?
The Clippers considered Leonard’s early exit a result of left ankle soreness. After he got checked out, the Clippers officially ended his night early.
Leonard checked out of the lineup after seeing 31 minutes of action. He was having an efficient outing, shooting 11-19 from the field and draining 4-6 from beyond the arc. A perfect 5-5 from the charity stripe allowed the Clippers’ star to score 31 points.
Beyond the scoring aspect, Leonard came down with four rebounds and produced five assists. The Clippers were engaged in a tight matchup with their LA neighbors and were working on a third-straight win.
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Unfortunately, the early exit didn’t do the Clippers any favors. When the game was all said and done, the Clippers ended up coming up short against the Lakers with a 125-122 loss. They dropped to 27-29 on the season, as they sit in the Western Conference’s Play-In picture.
The Clippers will get the day off on Saturday, February 21, before returning to the floor for the February 22 matchup against the Orlando Magic at home. With Leonard leaving the Lakers game early, he will be a key name to watch moving forward as his future status comes into question.
The last time Leonard missed action for the Clippers was during a three-game stretch in late January. He was out for three straight road games against the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and the Chicago Bulls.
This season, Leonard has appeared in 42 matchups. He posted averages of 27.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, while shooting 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
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