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The Boston Celtics will face one of the toughest tests of the season so far when they play the Los Angeles Clippers at home Wednesday night.
Having largely kept their early-season momentum alive on their current west coast road trip, the Celtics bounced back from just their second loss of the season at the hands of the Sacramento Kings with a win over a plucky Phoenix Suns.
For their prize, Boston now has the honor of being the first team of the season to face the Clippers at full strength, with reigning NBA champion Kawhi Leonard poised to return from a three-game absence sparked by a knee contusion sustained in a loss to a resurgent Houston Rockets, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk.
Reporting with @wojespn Kawhi Leonard is expected to make his return tonight against Boston, league sources say. Leonard missed the last 3 games with a left knee contusion.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 20, 2019
Paul George, who recently returned to action for the first time this season himself, will also be available, leaving only second-year guard Landry Shamet on Los Angeles’ injury list.
On Boston’s end, All-Star guard Gordon Hayward remains sidelined as he recuperates from a broken hand sustained in a win earlier in the month versus the San Antonio Spurs, as the Celtics’ defensive whirlwind Marcus Smart is reportedly expected to play despite reinjuring an oft-sprained ankle in the team’s most recent victory over the Suns.
Boston will need all the healthy bodies it can muster, as the Clips’ 9-5 record belies the danger having both Leonard and George available presents.
“We are really good with only Kawhi [playing and George out], noted Clippers center Ivica Zubac. “We are really good with only PG [and Leonard out]. So you know when you put them two together, it’s got to be good. So we’ll see it tonight, but I’m really excited.”
Indeed we shall see just how good Los Angeles can be with the tandem in action and, for that matter, just how talented this Celtics team is as well.