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          Clippers deem Kawhi Leonard questionable for Game 4 vs. Mavs

          • Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterApr 27, 2024, 08:16 PM
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              Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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          DALLAS -- Kawhi Leonard has been listed as questionable to play in Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, the LA Clippers announced.

          Leonard is dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee, an injury that kept him out for 22 days before he returned and logged 35 minutes in Game 2.

          After gutting out 25 minutes and finishing with nine points and nine rebounds in the Clippers' 101-90 loss in Game 4 on Friday night, Leonard revealed that the inflammation in his knee did not respond the way he had hoped after Game 2.

          "He's just still dealing with the inflammation and the swelling," coach Ty Lue said before practice Saturday. "So we're monitoring it. Got treatment last night. Got treatment this morning. Continue to get treatment tonight.

          "Right now he's questionable going into Game 4.

          "I think just doing what's right by him. Talking to the medical staff. Talking to him, seeing how he's feeling and just going from there."

          Lue said Leonard would go through the team's noncontact practice Saturday. He did some light shooting before the workout.

          Meanwhile, the Mavericks are listing star Luka Doncic as questionable for Game 4 because of right knee soreness.

          However, coach Jason Kidd dismissed concerns about Doncic's knee after Saturday's practice, describing him as "good."

          Leonard said he wanted to play in Game 3 and that it was either he would play limited minutes or sit. He chose to play limited minutes to try to help the team.

          Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games and Game 1 of this series.

          On Friday night, he remained optimistic, saying that he and the medical staff will get the injury right eventually.

          "If he's hurting and he can't go, then he just can't go," Lue said of doing what's best for Leonard and the team.

          If Leonard is able to play, Lue said his star's minutes will be decided later.

          "To be determined," Lue said. "It's always going to be a restriction. It's always going to be making sure we do right by him until he's 100 percent."

          Information from ESPN's Tim MacMahon was used in this report.