Heat to face short-handed Clippers team without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard
The Los Angeles Clippers will be without their two best players Monday night against the Miami Heat.
The Clippers announced that their star duo of Paul George (bone edema right toe) and Kawhi Leonard (left lower leg contusion) have been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Heat at Staples Center (10 p.m., Fox Sports Sun and NBA TV).
Clippers starting guard Patrick Beverley (rest) and starting forward Nicolas Batum (migraine) will also miss Monday’s game. Without Batum, Beverley, George and Leonard, Los Angeles will be missing four starters against Miami.
It marks the sixth straight game that George has missed and the second straight game Leonard has missed because of their respective injuries. The Clippers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128-11 on Sunday at Staples Center without George and Leonard, as guard Lou Williams stepped up in their absence with a game-high 30 points.
But there’s no doubt that the Clippers are better when George and Leonard are available. Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 192 points when George and Leonard have been on the court together this season, while opponents have outscored Los Angeles by 31 points when both are off the court.
The Clippers were also without George and Leonard for their first matchup of the season against the Heat last month, as the duo was unavailable because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Even without George and Leonard, the Clippers defeated the Heat 109-105 at AmericanAirlines Arena on Jan. 28. Miami was without Jimmy Butler (health and safety protocols), Avery Bradley (right knee contusion), Goran Dragic (left groin strain) and Andre Iguodala (neck spasms), among others, in that contest.
The Heat is expected to have Butler available for Monday’s game against the Clippers in Los Angeles. But Miami will be without Bradley (right calf strain), Dragic (left ankle sprain), Meyers Leonard (left shoulder surgery) and Chris Silva (left hip flexor strain).
Heat two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent is listed as probable with right knee soreness.
This story was originally published February 15, 2021 at 4:35 PM.
