Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight against New Orleans Pelicans? Latest injury update for 6x All-Star's status (March 15)

LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has received an upgrade in his status and is no longer listed on the injury report. He's anticipated to play the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday unless there's an update following additional evaluation.

The Clippers will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off a 126-111 win over the Chicago Bulls on the road on Thursday. Leonard logged 34 minutes, ending the night with 27 points, five rebounds, three assists with a steal and a block on 12-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-5 from the 3-point line.

The Clippers snapped their two-game losing streak on Thursday. Before the win, they had split their previous four games.

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What happened to Kawhi Leonard?

Kawhi Leonard exited Tuesday night's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to thoracic spasms, raising uncertainty about his availability for Thursday's game versus the Chicago Bulls.

However, Leonard confirmed before Thursday's game that his injury differed from ordinary back spasms, attributing it to being elbowed in the back during a previous game.

Leonard disclosed that it wasn't characterized by cramping or spasms. He attributed the discomfort to being elbowed against the Bulls at home, which exacerbated the irritation during the subsequent game with Milwaukee.

The discomfort continued on Tuesday. Despite efforts to push through, he found maneuvering around screens and engaging in physical plays untenable.

Apart from his recent thoracic spasms, the six-time All-Star has been grappling with groin injuries, which resulted in his inclusion on the team's injury report for several games. Notably, he was absent from a highly anticipated showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Throughout the season, Leonard has contended with adductor and hip injuries, leading to his absence in six games.

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Kawhi Leonard stats vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Kawhi Leonard boasts an impressive 21-11 record against the New Orleans Pelicans.

He has averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 47.0% shooting against them, including 35.7% from the 3-point range and 86.0% from the free-throw line.

In three games this season, he has averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 45.2% from the field, including a subpar 3-point shooting accuracy at 28.6% and 75.0% from the free-throw line.