Injury Notes: Mathurin, Sengun, Bam, Edwards, MPJ
Since making his Clippers debut on February 10, guard Bennedict Mathurin has appeared in 16 consecutive games, but that streak will come to an end this week. According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), Mathurin has been ruled out for upcoming games in New Orleans (Wednesday and Thursday) and Dallas (Saturday) due to a right big toe issue.
Mathurin, whose injury designation is technically “right toe injury recovery,” has been dealing with that problem for much of the season. He missed 11 straight games in October and November due to what Indiana referred to at the time as a toe sprain.
Another Clippers guard who has battled toe issues this season, Darius Garland, is considered questionable to play on Wednesday on the first end of a back-to-back set due to left toe injury management (Twitter link via Murray). But there’s also positive news on the Clippers’ injury report, as Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable after missing Monday’s contest vs. San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is no longer listed on the injury report after sitting out two games due to low back pain, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. That suggests Sengun will be available to suit up on Wednesday vs. the Lakers.
- One week after he went off for 83 points vs. Washington, Heat big man Bam Adebayo was forced to sit out on Tuesday in Charlotte due to right calf tightness, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo said he has been “playing through it” for a couple games but that it got to the point where he had to take at least a game off. “We want to make sure that he’s feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said before Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Hornets. “He’ll continue to do around-the-clock treatment.”
- Anthony Edwards‘ knee ailment isn’t considered serious, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the inflammation in the Timberwolves guard’s knee got to the point where he needed to get some rest to let it subside. With the playoffs just a month away, the team’s priority is to make sure Edwards is fully healthy when the postseason begins, Krawczynski adds.
- After missing three games with a right ankle sprain, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with Oklahoma City, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Clippers Notes: Kawhi, Collins, Young Players, Niederhauser
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard sat out on Monday vs. San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain, but the injury seems unlikely to sideline the veteran forward for an extended period. Leonard, who was initially listed as doubtful vs. the Spurs before being downgraded to out, is considered day-to-day and will accompany the team on its upcoming three-game road trip, tweets Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.
The Clippers will play a back-to-back set in New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday before visiting Dallas on Saturday. Leonard would have to play in at least one of those three games in order to preserve his eligibility for end-of-season awards.
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- After missing nine of 10 games – including seven straight – due to a sore neck and head laceration, big man John Collins returned to action on Saturday vs. Sacramento. Collins came off the bench on Saturday for the first time since early November, but was back in the starting five on Monday with Leonard inactive. “It was just a funky process,” Collins said of his injury recovery, per Carr. “Again, it could have been a lot worse on the injury side, but I just tried to stay positive and come in every day, bringing good energy and again, continue to try to just keep my body ready as well as I could.”
- The Clippers’ 119-115 loss to San Antonio on Monday dropped the team back to .500 (34-34), but head coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with what his young reserves brought to the table in Leonard’s absence, according to Carr. Jordan Miller scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting, while Kobe Sanders (+20), Cam Christie (+12), and Isaiah Jackson (+10) all had positive plus/minus marks. “I thought their energy was really good in that third quarter to come back and cut the lead and continue to keep fighting, playing the right way,” Lue said. “We got it close and then I think we gave up a three, missed a rotation, give up a three I think to (Stephon) Castle. But just coming in, competing, playing at a high level, that’s what our young guys did tonight. We needed every bit of it.”
- One of the Clippers’ other youngsters, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, recently underwent season-ending foot surgery, but he was playing his best basketball of the season prior to that injury. Speaking to Jaime Maggio of Sports Central LA (Twitter video link), Niederhauser credited teammates Bogdan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez for helping him adjust to the NBA game, also citing Ivica Zubac as an influence before he was traded to Indiana.
Injury Notes: Edwards, Reid, Kawhi, Giannis, Harper, Kornet
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been ruled out of Tuesday’s game against Phoenix due to right knee soreness, the team announced (via Twitter). It’s an important matchup between the two Western Conference clubs, as Minnesota has a two-game lead over the Suns for the No. 6 seed — and a guaranteed playoff berth.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), Edwards was “clearly laboring” during Sunday’s road loss in Oklahoma City. It will be the 11th missed game this season for Edwards, who has been named to the All-NBA Second Team each of the past two seasons.
Sixth Man of the Year contender Naz Reid is battling an injury as well. He’s listed as questionable to suit up because of a right shoulder contusion, per the Wolves.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been downgraded from doubtful to out for Monday’s game vs. San Antonio, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. The two-time NBA Finals MVP sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Sacramento, which is why he won’t play tonight. As Murray notes (via Twitter), Leonard can only miss two more games after Monday to remain eligible for major postseason awards.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared to tweak his left knee after landing awkwardly following a dunk during Sunday’s win over Indiana. While the Bucks superstar is considered questionable for Tuesday’s contest vs. Cleveland, Antetokounmpo’s injury designation is still a left ankle sprain rather than anything to do with his knee, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 31-year-old forward downplayed the apparent knee issue after the game and said he didn’t plan to undergo imaging.
- The Spurs will be without two key rotation members on Monday, with Dylan Harper (right calf contusion) and Luke Kornet (right knee soreness) both sidelined (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic). It’s the second straight absence for Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, and the first absence for Kornet since February 5. However, head coach Mitch Johnson is hopeful both players will be active on Tuesday at Sacramento, as Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News relays (via Twitter). “If not tomorrow, very, very soon,” Johnson said. “But I’m optimistic that they got a good chance to play tomorrow.“
Luka Doncic, Bam Adebayo Earn Player Of Week Honors
Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Heat big man Bam Adebayo have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league office (Twitter links). The awards cover games played from March 9-15.
Doncic led the Lakers to a 3-0 week by averaging 37.3 points, 11.0 assists and 10.3 rebounds per game. He came one assist away from registering three consecutive triple-doubles, had 51 points on Thursday vs. Chicago, and made a last-second basket to defeat Denver in overtime on Saturday.
The selection of Adebayo was a foregone conclusion after his historic 83-point game against the Wizards, which represented the second-highest single-game scoring output in NBA history. Overall, Adebayo averaged 41.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest last week as the Heat won two of three games.
Doncic became the second player to win a third Player of the Week award in 2025/26, joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For Adebayo, it’s his second Player of the Week selection this season and the fourth of his career.
Devin Booker (Suns), DeMar DeRozan (Kings), Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Austin Reaves (Lakers) and Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) were the other nominees from the Western Conference. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane (Magic), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren (Pistons), Brandon Ingram (Raptors) and Jalen Johnson (Hawks) were the other nominees from the East.
Kawhi Leonard Sprains Left Ankle
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard set a new franchise record on Saturday vs. Sacramento by scoring at least 20 points for a 45th consecutive game, eclipsing the mark Bob McAdoo set during the 1974/75 season when the team was known as the Buffalo Braves, per an Associated Press report.
However, there was little to celebrate for the Clippers and Leonard, who exited the game with 9:27 left in the fourth quarter after suffering an injury later diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. Without the star forward, who had 31 points before the injury, the Clippers were unable to complete a fourth-quarter comeback and saw their four-game winning streak snapped by the 17-51 Kings, the worst team in the Western Conference.
While the home loss to Sacramento is a disappointing setback for a Clippers team looking to solidify its hold on the No. 8 seed in the West – and gain a little ground on the No. 7 Suns – Leonard’s health is the more pressing concern going forward.
Leonard’s injury occurred while he was defending Kings wing DeMar DeRozan. He went up to contest the ball as DeRozan looked to shoot or pass, but landed awkwardly on DeRozan’s foot and came up limping (video link via NBA.com).
Although the Clippers confirmed that Leonard wouldn’t return to Saturday’s game and later confirmed that he suffered a sprain, the team has yet to indicate whether he’ll miss additional time.
After being limited to 37 games last season for health reasons, Leonard has made 53 appearances and has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his 15-year NBA career in 2025/26. The 34-year-old has averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in 32.3 minutes per game, with an excellent shooting line of .501/.378/.897.
Leonard has played a key part in helping L.A. turn things around after a disappointing 6-21 start to the season. The club has a +4.1 net rating when he’s on the court and a -5.9 mark when he’s not, so his absence will be felt if he has to sit out games this week. The Clippers will host the Spurs on Monday before embarking on a three-game road trip to New Orleans (Wednesday and Thursday) and Dallas (Saturday).
Pacific Notes: Warriors Injuries, Porzingis, Lopez, Ayton
The injuries keep piling up for the Warriors. Already without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, they are dealing with four more injuries, as Anthony Slater of ESPN details.
Draymond Green was scratched 30 minutes before tip-off of Friday’s loss to Minnesota because of lower back soreness. Al Horford departed after five minutes with right calf tightness. Seth Curry limped to the locker room in the second quarter with left adductor soreness and Quinten Post sprained his left ankle.
“We’re going through it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
Kerr expects Horford to miss several games. “With a calf, we’re not going to rush him back,” he said.
Stephen Curry missed his 16th consecutive game and the Warriors have gone 5-11 in that stretch. Now, they embark on a six-game road trip.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- There was a bright spot for the Warriors on Friday. Midseason acquisition Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points and told reporters after the game that he feels like he’s fitting in, according to Michael Wagaman of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We’re starting to develop a decent feel,” Porziņgis said. “I think guys are getting accustomed to playing with me. It’s progress. We’re getting better for sure. Overall, I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
- Clippers center Brook Lopez is in the midst of his 18th season and he’s aiming for more, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I always had a number of 20 years. A lot of great players played 20 years [whom] I looked up to,” he said. “Timmy [Duncan], Kobe [Bryant]. I think Ticket [Kevin Garnett] got there. That’s always been a goal of mine, but I feel great. So now that we’re as far along as we are, I don’t really want to put a cap on it. Just see how long we can keep going until we fall.” The Clippers have a decision to make early in the summer regarding Lopez. They hold a $9.19MM team option on his 2026/27 contract. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game since the All-Star break.
- Deandre Ayton has developed into the Lakers’ X factor, Khobi Price of the California Post contends. The Lakers are 27-8 when he grabs at least eight rebounds and 24-9 when he takes at least eight shot attempts. Ayton had 23 points and 10 rebounds against Chicago on Thursday. Ayton holds a $8.1MM player option on his contract for next season.
Pacific Notes: Kerr, Lakers, Clippers Investigation, Kings
With Jimmy Butler out for the season due to an ACL tear and Stephen Curry sidelined by a knee injury, Warriors coach Steve Kerr feels the need to send a positive message to his team, Matt Leland of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. Explaining his animated reaction to a Kristaps Porzingis three-pointer on Tuesday, Kerr made his comments during an interview on the 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” show.
“I’m just trying to really fire the guys up,” Kerr said. “We were, I thought, demoralized at times [in Tuesday’s loss to Chicago]. The Bulls had a big run at the end of the second quarter and I could just feel the air leaving our balloon. Without Steph, without Jimmy I think I have to take on more responsibility, just keeping the guys’ spirits up, that sort of thing. So, that’s probably what you were looking at.”
Golden State has lost three straight and five of its last six games.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers have shown progress on the defensive end in their last two outings, holding the Knicks to 97 points and the Timberwolves to 106 points. Is their defensive improvement sustainable? Even head coach JJ Redick isn’t sure about that. “We’re not gonna be the No. 1 defense in the league,” he said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “But to be above average, have those two performances against those two teams back-to-back, is really encouraging.” Redick said the team especially needs to improve its rim protection. “Just the consistency of our low man, you know,” he said. “We’re one of the worst teams at defending the rim. That’s not on our bigs, that’s on everybody. So we’ve had stretches, I thought, if you look at our good defensive games, our low man’s really active, our low man is giving paint consequences.”
- The NBA’s investigation into allegations that the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard used a no-show endorsement deal with fintech company Aspiration to circumvent the salary cap has dragged on since September. Investigative journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre, who originally broke the story during the offseason, continues to find more evidence pointing to wrongdoing (YouTube link). Torre uncovered that a 2023 whistleblower complaint was made to the Security and Exchange Commission, accusing Aspiration of fraudulently misusing funds to assist the Clippers’ efforts to circumvent salary cap restrictions to pay star Leonard “an incentivized bonus,” as Mike Vornukov of The Athletic relays.
- The Kings became the first Western Conference to be officially eliminated from playoff contention. Their loss to the Hornets on Wednesday made that a reality, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith notes (Twitter link). Indiana was the first team to get mathematically eliminated this week.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Lakers, Clippers, Dunn
Stephen Curry hasn’t played for the Warriors since January 30 and won’t be back for at least 10 more days. In the absence of Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors’ hopes for the season have begun to flat-line, punctuated by back-to-back losses to the Jazz and Bulls, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area.
In the face of Golden State’s injuries, Poole suggests the goal should be to seize the eighth seed in the West, which would give them a better chance at getting through the play-in. Poole acknowledges that the goal is more modest than what the team imagined for itself coming into the season, but it reflects the current state of the team.
Beyond playoff seeding, there’s another reason it would be beneficial to get Curry back in the lineup sooner rather than later: it would allow him to establish some chemistry with Kristaps Porzingis, who spoke this week about looking forward to taking the floor with the two-time MVP for the first time.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers are cruising right now. On Tuesday vs. the Timberwolves, they turned a season-long weakness — their defense — into a strength to extend their current hot streak, Thuc Nhi Nguyen writes for the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles has won six of its last seven games and, entering Wednesday’s games, had passed the Wolves for the No. 4 seed in the West. The Lakers’ players, including hot-and-cold big man Deandre Ayton, seem to have bought into their roles as of late, says The Athletic’s Dan Woike. Coach JJ Redick was glad to see his center put together such a positive game. “It’s great for his teammates to see him have a really good performance on both ends of the floor,” Redick said. “I think it’s bigger for DA to have a game like that against a really good team, one of the best teams in basketball.”
- After registering one of the worst starts to the season for any team with playoff ambitions, the Clippers have turned things around and have clawed their way back to a .500 record heading into Wednesday’s matchup against Minnesota. While L.A.’s 32-32 record wasn’t necessarily what the team hoped for at this point in the season, it means a lot after that slow start, writes Law Murray for The Athletic. “This team, ever since I’ve been here for six years, our guys always continue to keep fighting when our backs’ against the wall,” head coach Ty Lue said. “And I credit all my coaching staff, just for doing a great job, like I said earlier. Just staying with it, being positive, continue to help these guys get better. And you know, to start 6-21 and be .500 right now, it’s a big thing for us.” Kawhi Leonard has been the driving force behind the team’s success, but he knows none of it matters unless they’re ready for the playoffs.
- Another big part of the Clippers‘ success has been the play of 31-year-old guard Kris Dunn. While Dunn has never been much of a scorer, he has become an All-Defense level guard during his time in Los Angeles, his teammates and coach argue. “It’s a no-brainer that he’s definitely a first-team All-Defensive guy,” Lue said, per Mark Medina of Sportsnaut. “He’s a lockdown defender. Usually in the case when you have great defenders like that, they are good on-ball defenders. But they’re not really good off the ball or they’re not really good in team defense. But he’s all of it.” In a wide-ranging interview with Medina, Dunn discussed his desire for that recognition, his back-and-forths with Luka Doncic, and more.
Clippers’ Niederhauser Undergoes Season-Ending Foot Surgery
March 10: Niederhauser underwent surgery on Tuesday, the team announced on Twitter. He is without a timetable to return, but will miss the rest of the 2025/26 season.
March 5: Rookie center Yanic Konan Niederhauser has been diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot and will undergo season-ending surgery, the Clippers announced on Thursday.
Niederhauser sustained the injury during Wednesday’s victory over Indiana. He had six points, four rebounds and two blocks in eight minutes during that game.
The Clippers selected Niederhauser with the 30th and final first-round pick in the 2025 draft. The Swiss big man spent time in the G League to open 2025/26, but had been playing some of his best basketball as of late, including recording 11 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 21 minutes during Monday’s win over Golden State.
“Yeah, he’s a game-changer,” head coach Tyronn Lue said after the game in San Francisco (story via Janis Carr of The Orange County Register). “I think his ability to roll to the basket, get offensive rebounds (is important), but the biggest thing is just defensively challenging every shot, blocking shots at the rim, but his energy was really good for us.”
According to Carr, Niederhauser said he worked on playing with more energy ahead of his rookie season, since he was criticized for being lackadaisical at times coming out of college — the 22-year-old spent two years at North Illinois prior to a breakout junior seasons with Penn State.
“I got questioned a lot for my motor,” Niederhauser said. “For a lot of people, I got questioned for that, so I took that seriously. I took that personally and worked a lot this summer during all the games.
“I played in the (G League), all the games I played here in the NBA, I was trying to go 100% and work on my motor like that. So, now every time I’m out there, I just give everything I got and that’s the way I keep working on my motor.”
Niederhauser’s debut NBA campaign will end after 41 appearances. He averaged 4.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 10.3 minutes per game. Trade deadline addition Isaiah Jackson should continue to play an increased role with Niederhauser out.
Pacific Notes: Porzingis, Dunleavy, I. Jackson, Fleming
Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis is optimistic he’ll be able to play more often to close the 2025/26 season, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. After missing six games because of an illness, the Latvian big man returned to action on Saturday against Oklahoma City, finishing with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and a block in 23 minutes.
“I believe I will be healthy now,” Porzingis said. “This is what I really feel. Not to sell anything because I’ve been in and out, out again. But this time, I really feel this is it.”
Porzingis’ health issues date back to last season with the Celtics when he contracted a virus that limited his availability down the stretch. He told The Athletic prior to this season that he was eventually diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The malady, combined with injury issues, limited him to 17 games with the Hawks before he was traded to Golden State last month.
“Especially getting traded somewhere else, I wanted to get out there as soon as possible,” Porzingis said. “Sitting out a couple games was stinging me a little bit. Today was OK. Feeling a little heavy, shot not in a good rhythm yet.”
As Slater notes, head coach Steve Kerr caused a stir last week when he said he was told Porzingis didn’t have POTS, calling it “misinformation.” Kerr later called it a “stupid mistake” to talk about Porzingis’ health.
“It wasn’t ideal,” Porzingis said of Kerr’s mix-up. “Because it put something out again, so people start talking again. I told Steve it was OK. I know he didn’t mean anything, didn’t want to create hype around my health. He just said what he knew at the moment.”
Veteran forward/center Draymond Green complimented Porzingis after Saturday’s loss, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“The game’s a lot easier when he’s on the floor,” Green said.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Appearing on 95.7 FM’s Willard and Dibs show, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. explained his rationale for acquiring Porzingis, as Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “I think the thought process for us on the trade was the opportunity to get a player of his quality, who, when healthy, is pretty good, pretty unique,” Dunleavy said in part. “Like, what he can do on the defensive end, what he can do on the offensive end. And then we had to calculate what we thought the ability and the chances of him being healthy and playing a bunch for us. We felt pretty good about that. We still do.” Porzingis is expected to play on Tuesday against Chicago after sitting out Monday’s loss at Utah.
- Clippers big man Isaiah Jackson is getting an opportunity to play after Yanic Konan Niederhauser was ruled out for the season due to a foot injury, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Head coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with Jackson’s performance after Saturday’s road victory in Memphis, when the the 24-year-old had 12 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and a block in 25 minutes. “Just how he plays hard. He plays hard and competes,” Lue said of Jackson, whom the Clippers acquired last month in a trade with Indiana. “He’s a guy that can switch and guard the basketball, offensive rebound, runs the floor, and can get behind the defense on pick-and-rolls. Tonight, like I said, it was just a game for him, and we needed his athleticism and his ability to switch. He did a good job for us.”
- Suns forward Rasheer Fleming hasn’t played much as a rookie this season, but the 31st overall pick in last year’s draft capitalized on his opportunity during Sunday’s win over Charlotte, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fleming had a career-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in a career-high 23 minutes off the bench. “It was super impressive,” star guard Devin Booker said. “Just the willingness to wait for his moment and seize it. He’s still all ears and he still wants to learn more. He’s got a big effect on winning basketball games.“