Kawhi Leonard will miss Clippers vs Bucks due to ‘load management’, and the NBA world isn’t happy

The NBA world is riled up after the announcement Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will sit out a marquee clash.

Kawhi Leonard will rest against the Bucks.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will sit out a marquee clash with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday (AEDT) as his team continues to manage his workload in view of a knee injury.

On the NBA’s official injury report the reason for Leonard’s absence is “injury/illness, load management (knee)”, and the NBA spoke up to say the move was indeed in line with its guidelines.

League spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement that Leonard “is not a healthy player under the league’s resting policy”, adding that the league office had consulted with the team and was “comfortable” with his absence.

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The league prohibits teams from resting healthy players for high-profile nationally televised games, with a fine of $100,000 possible.

Leonard is expected to play on Friday when the Clippers host Portland in another nationally televised clash.

But fans won’t see him go up against reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, after the two met in the Eastern Conference Finals last season when Leonard played for eventual NBA champions Toronto.

Even so early in the season, the Bucks-Clippers contest was touted as a possible NBA Finals preview.

“Kawhi not playing is ridiculous at this point.”

-@heydb on Kawhi Leonard sitting out his second nationally televised game this season due to “load management.” pic.twitter.com/d6EGlFAuDO

— Golic and Wingo (@GolicAndWingo) November 6, 2019

Kawhi Leonard has dealt with a chronic quad problem for seven years. Kawhi said he wouldn't have gotten to the Finals without load management. Yet we're debating if he should rest? Maybe Kawhi, the person dealing with the issue, and his actual doctors know better than we do.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 6, 2019

Clippers: “You ready for these back-to-backs?”

Kawhi: pic.twitter.com/7KaBZfuYgQ

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) November 6, 2019

28 year old Kawhi sits out 2 games already “load management”

Not a peep ...

But if a 35 year old w 56K mins played, 1400 games played, sits a game out for “load management” it’s the start of WW3.

There’s levels to this... 🤫#WITNESS pic.twitter.com/e1Hts0buNM

— The LeBron Factory (@LeBronFactory) November 6, 2019

Damn Kawhi couldn’t sit out tomorrow against Portland?

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 6, 2019

There’s only 1 way for Kawhi to justify his excessive load management - win it all! https://t.co/fN22bwuRZE

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) November 6, 2019

It's the NBA's fault for asking a 28yr old Kawhi to do something every other NBA player has been doing for 74yrs???... Give me a break. https://t.co/VSZr4y8JvF

— Justin Termine (@TermineRadio) November 6, 2019

Leonard is averaging 29.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in six games this season. The Clippers are 5-1 when he plays, but he has already missed one game of a back-to-back for “load management” — a loss at the Utah Jazz last week.

Last season, Leonard credited the Raptors’ cautious management of his workload with having him fit for the team’s championship playoff run. He sat out 22 of 82 regular-season games and was at full force in the post-season.

Originally published as Kawhi Leonard will miss Clippers vs Bucks due to ‘load management’, and the NBA world isn’t happy