Kawhi Leonard is recovering after suffering from a bloody injury during a match-up between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets.
On Friday (Dec. 25), the Clippers were up by 11 against the Nuggets in the fourth quarter of the game when Patrick Beverley missed his attempted 3-pointer. That’s when Serge Ibaka ran up to secure the rebound. As soon as he jumped for the ball, Ibaka accidentally elbowed Leonard in the face, which left Kawhi bleeding profusely on the court. Leonard was able to get up, but the Clippers small forward was forced to leave the game to treat his injury.
Leonard ended up receiving eight stitches in his mouth to treat his laceration. Even with Kawhi out of the game with his injury, the Clippers defeated the Nuggets 121 – 108. After the game, Leonard and Ibaka didn’t speak to the press, however, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue did comment on the injured player’s status.
“He’s going to be fine,” Lue said. “He got up and walked off the floor. So he’s good.”
After he walked off the court, Leonard was surrounded by his trainers as they worked to help treat his injury. Clippers forward Nicolas Batum managed to catch a glimpse of his teammate in the locker room as he was being treated. Batum asserted that Leonard was fine but he did say that it was “scary” at the time.
“When I went closer to him, I saw his lips. It didn’t look good at all,” Batum told USA Today. “You don’t want one of your teammates or any players like that have to blood all over him and everywhere on the floor. But I think he’s good.”
As of this report, Kawhi Leonard is listed as “day-to-day.” There’s also no confirmation that he will play in the Clippers’ next game on Sunday, Dec. 27 against the Dallas Mavericks.