Kawhi Leonard out, Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns-Clippers
The Phoenix Suns will take on the Los Angeles Clippers without superstar Kawhi Leonard on Tuesday at Footprint Center.
The Clippers ruled Leonard out with right knee inflammation for what will be his fifth straight game missed.
Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic is questionable with a right ankle sprain, but the rest of the Suns’ injury report — minus Damion Lee (meniscus) — was clean. The Clippers also deemed backup big man Daniel Theis questionable with a sprained left thumb.
The Western Conference counterparts also face each other Wednesday in Los Angeles as the regular season nears it end. Both teams have four games left.
Leonard was an All-Star this season and averages 23.7 points on 52.5% shooting (41.7% from deep) and 6.1 rebounds. The Clippers are 6-4 without him in the mix.
He has scored 47 points between L.A.’s two wins over the Suns this season. Leonard put up 69 points in two games at Footprint Center during the first round of the playoffs last year, but he missed the remainder of the series to a knee injury.
Nurkic was questionable for Phoenix’s Friday victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves with left calf soreness, but he suited up and scored 11 points. Nurkic played 31 minutes in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday and scored six points with 10 rebounds. He has at least 10 rebounds in each of his last four games.
The Clippers enter the matchup as the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed at 50-28, four games up on No. 6 seed Phoenix at 46-32.
There remains a slim possibility the two could meet in the first round of the playoffs again, but the Suns are two games back of the Dallas Mavericks for fifth and Los Angeles is three back of the Oklahoma City Thunder for third.
Tuesday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
