Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight against Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals?

The Phoenix Suns travel to Staples Center tonight to take on Kawhi Leonard's LA Clippers in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Western Conference finals.

The Suns will be looking to extend their lead to 3-0, after holding home court for the first two games of the series. The LA Clippers have missed the services of star forward Kawhi Leonard during this matchup, and his status for tonight's clash is set to attract major attention.

Will Kawhi Leonard be available for Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals against the Suns?

Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers in action against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 NBA Playoffs

LA Clippers small forward Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. The two-time championship winner has not played a game since June 14 due to a sprained knee, which he suffered during the semi-finals matchup against the Utah Jazz.

Trusted NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski recently revealed that the LA Clippers' are not optimistic about having Leonard back for the remainder of the series. Head coach Tyronn Lue is preparing his tactics while keeping Kawhi Leonard's absence in mind as the franchise looks to return from a 2-0 deficit.

Clippers fear All-NBA star Kawhi Leonard has suffered an ACL injury, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. He is out indefinitely.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2021

Kawhi Leonard was tearing teams apart on both sides of the ball before going down with an injury, averaging 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists along with 2 steals per game. Leonard has shot 57% from the field and 39% from the 3-point territory, which shows pivotal his role has been in the LA Clippers reaching their first Conference Finals.

The LA Clippers have struggled with Kawhi Leonard out in the series against the Phoenix Suns. Paul George and co. lost the first game of the series with a scoreline of 114-120, as Devin Booker posted a triple-double on the night.

Kawhi Leonard Ruled Out For Game 3 https://t.co/hxQpq2YbOJ

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 24, 2021

The second match was much closer, as Tyronn Lue's side lost the encounter by a margin of one point. DeAndre Ayton scored a two-point shot with less than a second remaining on the clock, breaking millions of Clippers fans' hearts.

The task is only going to get tougher for the LA Clippers for the remainder of the series, as the Phoenix Suns expect veteran point guard Chris Paul to suit up for Game 3. Paul is listed as probable, and it will be intriguing to see how the LA Clippers counter him with Kawhi Leonard on the sideline.