Why is Paul George not playing tonight vs Bucks? Clippers 9x All-Star's latest status explored - (March 10)

Paul George is out for Sunday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks due to left knee soreness. The Clippers will be shorthanded as they take on one of the top teams in the East.

Kawhi Leonard is also out for the Clippers. Russell Westbrook is out as well as he continues to recover from surgery on his broken hand. The Clippers will be underdogs at home against the Bucks, who will be without Khris Middleton.

George is a huge loss for the Clippers. He is their second-leading scorer with 22.1 ppg. The Clippers will need to lean heavily on James Harden with Leonard and George out.

What happened to Paul George?

Paul George is dealing with a knee injury, though it is not serious. The Clippers are playing on the second day of a back-to-back. The game tips off at 3 pm ET/12 pm local time, which makes for an even shorter turnaround for LA.

The Clippers won 112-102 over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. George's knee issue is most likely discomfort and load management rather than a significant concern. He played 40 minutes and scored 22 points in Saturday's triumph over the Bulls. Leonard scored 19 points in 38 minutes.

George has only missed five games this season. Leonard has also stayed healthier than usual and only missed five games as well.

Sunday will mark the first time Leonard and Paul George have missed the same game this season. They were frequently the leaders in load management, and their health this season has been a key reason the Clippers are in the top tier of title candidates, sitting at 41-21 before the showdown with the Bucks.

George and Leonard could return for the Clippers’ big matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, March 12. George’s knee soreness and Leonard’s groin issues should not keep them out multiple games, barring any unexpected setbacks.

The Clippers and Bucks faced off not long ago, on March 4. Milwaukee won at home 113-106. Paul George had 29 points in the loss. Harden also scored 29 points and Leonard added 16 in the losing effort.

The Bucks pulled out the win despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Damian Lillard led the way with 41 points on 12-of-22 shooting. He went 4-of-9 from 3-point range.

The Clippers will have to rely on their bench to throw multiple defenders at Lillard to prevent him from going off once again.

The Bucks are 6.5-point favorites on the road due to the Clippers injury report. The total is set at 221.5. The Clippers are +210 as a home dog on the money line.