Is Kawhi Leonard playing today against the Dallas Mavericks? Exploring Clippers superstar's status (April 5)

Kawhi Leonard's participation is questionable against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. According to ESPN, the six-time All-Star is listed as day-to-day on the Clippers' injury report.

Leonard played in the game against the Mavs on Friday, and as per Joey Linn from SI, the star will be evaluated before the game to confirm his participation. With only five games left to play, the Clippers have a few names on the injury list.

Seth Lundy, Jordan Miller and Amir Coffey are all listed out with Ben Simmons also being day-to-day with the Klaw. The Clippers need every win in this final stretch as they are fighting to secure a playoff spot without needing to participate in the play-in tournament.

The LA-based team is holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference standings with a 45-32 record. If they were to win their next two to three matchups, they can breathe a sigh of relief and secure a playoff spot. However, if they lose more than three games, there is a high chance of them dropping in the Play-In zone.

Kawhi Leonard has been a key piece for the Clippers' chances this season. His knee issues kept him out for 34 games at the start of the season and although he doesn't participate in every game after coming back, he has been carrying his team to victory when he is playing.

Leonard is averaging 20.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in only 33 appearances.

Kawhi Leonard stats against the Dallas Mavericks

Kawhi Leonard has always delivered a strong performance against the Mavericks. He is averaging 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 35 games against the Dallas-based team.

In his last six games, the Clippers guard has averaged 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists, maintaining his form against last season's Western Conference finalists. On Friday, he dropped 20 points, six rebounds and two assists in the 114-91 win for the Clippers.

What to expect from the LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks?

The LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks regular season matchup on Saturday is shaping up to be a show without big names. Both teams are suffering from injury plagues with the Mavs having it worse than their opponents.

With Luka Doncic traded and Kyrie Irving out for the season with a torn ACL, the Mavs have only Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis who can fill in the superstar slot. However, Thompson and Davis are also listed as day-to-day and their participation is subject to evaluation before the game.

The Clippers, on the contrary, have Kawhi Leonard as questionable, but the fans can expect James Harden to put up a show if Klaw is not cleared to play.