The shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers recently fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 117-124. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sat out the afternoon game due to the taxing schedule, pitting them for two games in a window of 22 hours. Now, as the LA team gears up to face the Timberwolves, who rest one step ahead of them in the conference ladder, it appears that their struggles could continue.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard might continue their absence from the action, nursing their ongoing injuries. As of now, both the stars are questionable for the game. Kawhi is dealing with a left groin soreness and PG is recovering from left knee soreness. Their misery is further compounded by the absence of PG  Russell Westbrook who is out due to a fractured left hand. On the other hand, Timberwolves have injury concerns of their own.

As the last stretch of the season signifies more intense matchups, the Wolves-Clippers game could see more stars sitting out of the court. In their Monday release of the injury report, the Timberwolves cite concerns over four key players. Rudy Gobert could continue being sidelined due to right hamstring soreness. Monte Morris is also dealing with a hamstring issue and Kyle Anderson is battling with pain in his right shoulder.

The most striking absence could be of Anthony Edwards, who was dealing with left ankle soreness after the loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. Edwards has had an excellent season and is averaging 26.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 46.1% from the field and 36.9% from the three-point range in 62 games.

These four players are marked questionable while Karl-Anthony Towns remains out due to a left meniscus tear.

As the game nears, it is anticipated that the injury report could shrink. However, given that the star players from both teams have played heavy minutes this season, their teams can opt them to sit out in light of proper rest.

Kawhi Leonard is key for a Clippers win

The game at the Crypto.com arena will mark both team’s last matchup in the regular season. So far, they have clashed for 3 games in the 2023-24 campaign, with the young Minnesota roster gaining a 2-1 advantage. Wolves are also third in the Western Conference, one place ahead of their next opponents.

While both the teams will enter the game after a loss, the Clippers would want to even the season series. Doing so can help them gain some confidence, in case they were to face again in the playoffs.

For that, LA direly needs Kawhi Leonard. The Claw has a way of getting around their defense, scoring 32 points in the recent clash on March 3. Moreover, while PG and Harden have seen a dip in their efficiency, Leonard maintains a high clip even in low-scoring games.

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PG averages 16.6 points on nearly 30% shooting from the floor against the Wolves. Harden has posted a total of 35 points in the 3 games, shooting near of 33%. Meanwhile, Leonard has a team-high average of 25.3 points against Wolves on more than 46% efficiency.

For now, Clippers fans will hope Leonard along with Paul George can return to the lineup soon as they look to climb the Western Conference table.