The NBA approved the Clippers’ plan to sit star Kawhi Leonard for a pair of nationally televised games because it believes the forward is not yet healthy enough to play on consecutive nights, a league spokesman said Wednesday.
The LA Clippers are making sure to take it easy with their superstar forward Kawhi Leonard. Like the Toronto Raptors last season, the Clippers have adopted a similar load management schedule for Kawhi that doesn’t require him to play in back-to-back games.
The team has decided to sit Kawhi for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks and reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Many on-air analysts, sportswriters, and fans alike have called out this decision.
In response to the backlash, the Clippers, and the league have come forward to explain the decision. According to NBA spokesman Mike Bass:
“Kawhi Leonard is not a healthy player under the league’s resting policy, and, as such, is listed as managing a knee injury in the L.A. Clippers injury report, […] The league office, in consultation with the NBA’s director of sports medicine is comfortable with the team medical staff’s determination that Leonard is not sufficiently healthy to play in back-to-back games at this time.”
