The Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets provided new injury updates Monday, outlining timetables for three key players.
Clippers
Kawhi Leonard was held out of Monday’s loss to San Antonio with a left ankle sprain after being downgraded to doubtful earlier in the day. Team officials described the injury as day-to-day, and the forward will travel on the upcoming three-game trip that starts with a back-to-back in New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday and concludes Saturday in Dallas.
Leonard must appear in at least one of those contests to remain eligible for end-of-season awards under the league’s 65-game minimum rule. The organization is expected to balance that requirement with standard injury management.
Pistons
Detroit announced that Isaiah Stewart suffered a Grade 1 calf strain and will be re-evaluated in one week. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the forward had been managing discomfort for some time before the condition worsened in his most recent outing.
The setback almost certainly prevents Stewart from reaching the 65-game threshold needed for All-Defensive consideration. He is averaging 10.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in just over 23 minutes per game. Paul Reed is expected to receive extended minutes during Stewart’s absence; when inserted into the starting lineup this season, Reed has averaged nearly 14 points and about eight rebounds while providing solid two-way production.
Nuggets
Denver is close to having its full rotation available. Peyton Watson (hamstring strain) remains the lone regular on the injury report but could return later in the week. The swingman has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup with Philadelphia and is considered unlikely for Wednesday in Memphis, though Friday’s game against Toronto is viewed as a realistic target.
If Watson is cleared, the Nuggets are expected to have every core player active, aside from those on routine G-League assignments.
Source: Hoops Wire
