All-Star guard Anthony Edwards had a terrific game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, where he led his team to a victory to get their 45th win of the season. Even though the Clippers seemed to have the game under control in the first quarter, things turned the other way in the second.
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden led the way for the Clippers in the first quarter. Leonard played the entire quarter but was unable to continue due to an injury, and the Timberwolves took full advantage of his absence.
Anthony Edwards explains how Kawhi Leonard’s exit led to Clippers’ collapse
With an impressive performance throughout the game, Anthony Edwards put up 37 points, 4 assists, and 8 boards in 37 minutes of action. Edwards got into the groove in the second quarter, taking full advantage of Kawhi Leonard’s absence from the court to avoid their first 3-game losing streak of the season following the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the post-game interview, Edwards talked about Kawhi Leonard’s injury and how it helped them win the match. Edwards said, “Just a bunch of mismatches. … Their best defender is Kawhi. He went down, and they were just putting two on me and trying stuff.” The Timberwolves cut the deficit to 63-55 and then took the lead in the second half.
Mike Conley scored 23 points, including 5 three-pointers, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 28 points, helping the Timberwolves secure the win.
Update on Kawhi Leonard’s injury
After playing the entire first quarter, Leonard went back to the locker room and was seen leaving the Crypto Arena due to some discomfort, and he couldn’t even sit on the bench due to this issue.
After the game, the LA Clippers head coach, Tyronn Lue, told the reporters about Leonard having constant back pain for a few days but decided to play but couldn’t continue after the first quarter. He is said to have thoracic spasms, which are not troublesome, but it is still better to get checked before they escalate into something bad.
“Wasn’t sure if he was going to go this morning,” Lue said after the game. “But he came to shootaround, got some treatment, did what he had to do and tried to get on the court and played today. It just didn’t loosen up for him,” Lue said, according to ESPN.
The coach remained uncertain about Kawhi Leonard’s availability for their upcoming road trip, which starts with a game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. While Leonard is battling a thoracic spasms, Lue expressed optimism for his star player’s participation, stating, “I hope so.”
The Clippers look like a promising team with the addition of James Harden and a healthy duo of Leonard and Paul George. With Russell Westbrook out due to a broken hand, the Clippers cannot afford to lose the two-time final MVP after his recovery from ACL surgery. Hopefully, Leonard’s discomfort is minor, and we hope to see him back in action soon.
