PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard will miss his third straight game when the LA Clippers play the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
The Clippers, who have lost three straight, ruled Leonard out due to right knee injury management.
Leonard was held out of the game Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder after he experienced stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee during the morning shootaround. He flew back to Los Angeles on Wednesday to get more treatment on the knee and missed the second game against Oklahoma City on Thursday.
The Sunday game is the first of a back-to-back for the Clippers, who play the Houston Rockets on Monday. Leonard acknowledged at the start of the season that he likely wouldn’t play both games of back-to-backs while he continues to increase his minutes this season.
Leonard will sit out for the fourth time in the Clippers’ first six games as he makes his way back from missing all of last season with a torn right ACL suffered in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs against Utah on June 14, 2021.
Head coach Ty Lue said veteran Marcus Morris Sr. is expected to return to action Sunday after missing the past two games because of personal reasons.