Kawhi Leonard's Knee Strikes Again: Raptors Star Out 3-4 Weeks
Chris Haynes reported on NBATV that Leonard is expected to be sidelined for at least 3-4 weeks.
Death, taxes, and Kawhi Leonard's knee requiring a multi-week sabbatical. Chris Haynes just hopped on NBATV to drop the news that the Toronto Raptors star is expected to be sidelined for at least three to four weeks.
If you had late October in the pool for the first major Kawhi absence of the year, congratulations on your winnings. A month-long timeline means Toronto is suddenly scrambling to fill a massive two-way void in their rotation before the Halloween candy even goes on clearance.
The Raptors are sitting at 2-1 after a chaotic opening week. They handled the Washington Wizards, got absolutely boatraced by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and just bounced back to hang 129 points on the . Now they have to figure out how to keep that offensive momentum alive without their primary engine.
We all know the drill by now. A three-to-four-week timeline for Leonard is written in pencil, then erased, then rewritten in invisible ink. The man’s injury history is basically a medical textbook at this point, and any bettor looking at Toronto's futures or nightly spreads has to immediately recalibrate for the reality of a Kawhi-less floor.
Toronto runs it back against on Friday night. Without Leonard locking down the wing and generating half-court offense, expect the usage rates for the rest of the starting five to spike. The Raptors have a month to survive this stretch, but if history tells us anything, they better have a backup plan ready for December, too.