Clippers’ superstar forward Kawhi Leonard will be ruled out for Game 2 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals vs the Phoenix Suns as he continues to deal with a knee sprain. Leonard did not play in Game 1 as his team fell 120 to 114 and found themselves down in a playoff series yet again.
Leonard also missed the final two games of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. According to Bleacher Report, “The Clippers are 2-1 without him in those games, which includes a 120-114 loss to the Suns in Game 1 on Sunday. He led the team in scoring (24.8 PPG) during the regular season, adding 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three.”
Paired with Paul George the duo were expected to be in the running for a title this year after last year’s disappointing exit in the semifinals. The Clippers squeezed past the Utah Jazz on the back of Paul George who of late was getting a lot of slander by fans and people around the NBA.
George dropped 30 plus points to lead his team to the Western Conference Finals to play the Phoenix Suns. The Suns were coming off a 4 game sweep of the Denver Nuggets and had plenty of momentum and drive to make a championship push.
The suns are sans Chris Paul in Game 2
The Suns are also without a key player as Chris Paul is out dealing with the NBA’s health and safety protocol. The 36-year-old future hall of fame point guard played his last game against the Nuggets in Game 4 of the semifinals.
Paul was nearly unstoppable that game and was a huge reason why they took care of the MVP and his team so fast. Paul’s absence in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was definitely missed but Devin Booker took over the game and posted his first career triple-double and the Suns’ first playoff triple-double since Steve Nash accomplished it in the year 2010.
It is safe to say that these two amazing players will be missed in Game 2 and potentially longer. But for Suns fans, you might not have to worry about Chris Paul rushing back so soon as it seems Devin Booker can handle a Clippers team without Kawhi Leonard by himself. As for Clippers fans, the hope is that Kawhi can come back, but if not Paul George may have to step up in hopes of making an appearance in the NBA Finals.