Kofi Inkoom
Kawhi Leonard, who was initially questionable due to a knee injury for Friday’s Game 3 against the Mavericks, has been given the green light to play, as confirmed by head coach Ty Lue.
Despite dealing with knee inflammation, Leonard returned to action during Tuesday’s game against Dallas after missing nine games. His participation in today’s shootaround was positive, indicating he’s on the mend and ready to take the court tonight.
On the Mavericks’ side, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Tim Hardaway Jr. are out, also Gafford’s availability will be decided closer to game-time. With the series tied at one game apiece, Dallas will enjoy home court advantage as the action shifts to their arena for the next two games.
In terms of playoff statistics, the Clippers have opted for fewer wide open 3-pointers compared to other teams, but they’ve been highly efficient when they do take them. The Clips are shooting 53.6% on those (15-of-28 3PT), which leads all playoff teams.
However, their shooting percentages drop when the defense tightens, particularly on open shots where they rank second lowest among playoff teams. LA is shooting 26.3% on those (5-of-19 3PT).
Despite this, they’ve been fairly effective on tightly contested shots ( shooting 33.3% on those (6-of-18 3PT), ranking fourth among all playoff teams, Tomer Azarly of Clutchpoints notes.