Kawhi Leonard OUT For Game 3 Against Phoenix Suns

Kawhi Leonard will miss his fifth straight playoff game.

Kawhi Leonard won't be playing in Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns, while Chris Paul is probable to return.

While Chris Haynes previously stated that Kawhi Leonard would be day-to-day, there's just no chance that Kawhi could return by Game 3. Sources told AllClippers that Kawhi was dealing with an ACL sprain, and the Clippers just don't have enough time for a Kawhi return. Leonard was injured in Game 4 against the Utah Jazz after Joe Ingles collided with him, but didn't start rehabbing until right before Game 5.

It may seem like Kawhi Leonard has been out for a long time, but it's barely been a week.

June 16: G5 Jazz
June 18: G6 Jazz
June 20: G1 Suns
June 22: G2 Suns
June 24: G3 Suns 

It'll be 8 days by the time of Game 3 against the Suns. That's still nowhere near enough time for a proper ACL sprain recovery. The Clippers' compact playoff schedule isn't on the side of letting someone recover from injury, as they've been playing every other day for the entire month of June.

If Kawhi Leonard were to actually return from his injury, it would take around at least two weeks. That 14-day span would be closer to around Game 6 against the Suns, which is why it was so important for the Clippers to win the games Chris Paul wasn't playing. Stealing a game from the Suns is always nice, but the bigger issue was about buying time for a Kawhi Leonard return. 

Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns is on Wednesday, just 48 hours after Game 2.