The latest injury updates on star NBA players including Trae Young, Karl Anthony-Towns and Kawhi Leonard before the postseason.
TRAE YOUNG
The Hawks announced on Monday that Trae Young has been cleared for team practices and full contact after having surgery on his left pinkie finger six weeks ago.
The Hawks have four regular season games left – two at home against the Heat and the Hornets before road games against Minnesota and Indiana.
Then in nine days, Atlanta will face the Bulls in an elimination Play-In game.
There is no official timeline for the guard’s return but he said on his podcast last week that, “I can get out of this cast. And then I can play.”
KARL ANTHONY-TOWNS
In huge news for Wolves fans, big man Karl Anthony-Towns could make his return from a knee injury as early as this week.
Towns has been out since March 7 after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
“I’m told he is very, very close to returning to action,” NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Monday. “There is optimism that Karl-Anthony Towns will play before the playoffs start.”
The Wolves have only four remaining regular season games – all to be played this week.
The team host Washington Tuesday night, then play the Nuggets, Hawks and end the regular season at home Sunday against the Suns.
KAWHI LEONARD
Kawhi Leonard has missed the Clippers’ last three games with knee inflammation and soreness and there are question marks around whether he will play in any of the team’s four remaining regular season games.
Over the weekend, LAC coach Ty Lue just said Kawhi is “day-to-day” and “progressing”. The coach previously declined to answer on whether on Leonard had undergone on MRI.
If the Clippers forward doesn’t play in any more regular season games, it will certainly give him ample time to come back and compete strongly in the Playoffs.
I am in no way saying he's ruled out of the rest of the regular season…
However, IF Kawhi Leonard happened to not play again this regular season, he will have 19-20 days between the last game he played against the Hornets and Game 1. https://t.co/vg8SHnGRrj
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 9, 2024
ANTHONY DAVIS
Unfortunately, Anthony Davis has suffered his second eye injury in a matter of weeks after being hit in the face during the Timberwolves game on Sunday.
The big man’s status for the Warriors game on Tuesday is questionable, though ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported there is “optimism that Davis will be able to return to the lineup” in time for Tuesday.