Kawhi Leonard is ruled out with knee issue as Clippers face Mavs in Game 4

DALLAS (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out of Sunday's Game 4 of a first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks because of right knee inflammation.

Leonard played in the second and third games of the series after missing the final eight games of the regular season and the series opener.

The six-time All-Star never looked comfortable in the Clippers' 101-90 loss in Game 3, finishing with nine points on just seven shots, his fewest in a playoff game in 10 years. Leonard played 25 minutes.

The Clippers won the series opener without Leonard, with James Harden scoring 28 points and going 6 of 11 from 3-point range.

Paul George scored 22 points in each of the first two games before limited to seven in Game 3. It was just his second playoff game in single digits since joining the Clippers in 2018-19.

Leonard played 68 regular-season games, the most for the two-time NBA champion since the 2016-17 season in San Antonio.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA