The Knicks have dropped their opening two road games. Meanwhile, the Clippers have started off their five-game homestand with wins over the Grizzlies and the Raptors.
The latest news on Kawhi Leonard and Jalen Brunson
Los Angeles has had a rough season overall, with their most recent skid being a five-game skid at the end of February and beginning of March.
The Clippers had a tough stretch there, losing to Sacramento twice, Denver, Minnesota, and the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.
They got back on track with two wins, one over Memphis by a score of 135-129 and another over Toronto by a margin of eight points on Wednesday.
Kawhi Leonard has been on fire as of late despite missing 28 games this season due to persistent knee soreness.
He had 24 points (8-15 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 7-9 FT), 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 40 minutes on Wednesday against the Raptors.
On offense, Leonard did well, with nearly a third of his points coming from free throws.
In the last two games, he has also contributed greatly on the glass, grabbing 10 or more rebounds in both. Leonard has scored in the 20s on six different occasions.
Recent games have seen the Clippers fielding a nearly full strength roster, while the Knicks have been unable to settle on a consistent starting five.
Jalen Brunson scored 19 points on the road in Sacramento, but he left the game after only 20 minutes with a foot injury.
After averaging a career-high 23.8 points per game and 6.1 assists per game prior to New York’s road trip beginning in Sacramento, Brunson missed the first two games of the trip due to injury.
Clippers injuries:
- Brandon Boston Jr. (Lower Body) – Out
- Norman Powell (Shoulder) – Out
Knicks injuries
- DaQuan Jeffries (Calf) – Questionable
- Isaiah Hartenstein (Ankle) – Questionable
- Duane Washington Jr. (Back) – Questionable
- Jalen Brunson (Foot) – Out
