Kawhi Leonard is out for the Raptors' game at Minnesota on Sunday night with left knee swelling. Toronto, 2-0 with him, plays its first game without him this season, and his expected return is Oct. 28.
What happened
Kawhi Leonard was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Timberwolves. The injury report, updated at 6:23 PM ET, lists him as out with a left knee issue. Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reported that Leonard is out due to left knee swelling. The report shows no earlier status for him before this entry. His last listings on the timeline were not injury-related: day-to-day for rest on Oct. 16, cleared the next day, and day-to-day for a non-injury reason on Oct. 3, cleared Oct. 12. The report gives an expected return date of Oct. 28.
What it means for the Raptors
Toronto plays at Minnesota on Sunday at 7:00 PM ET on NBA TV. The Raptors are 2-0 and hold the third seed, riding a two-game winning streak. Leonard has played in both games, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.8 minutes. The Raptors have not yet played a game without him. The rotation minutes now run through Scottie Barnes (31.3 minutes, 25.5 points), RJ Barrett (30.1, 21.5) and Immanuel Quickley (28.6, 17.5). Jakob Poeltl (24.4) and Ja'Kobe Walter (23.6) follow. Jamal Shead, Collin Murray-Boyles and Allen Graves round out the group. Nate Bittle is also out with a right foot issue.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Leonard's status changes ahead of Toronto's following game. The expected return date is Oct. 28. Nothing in the report says how close he is to playing before then, and the Raptors have not announced the opponent or timing of the game that follows Sunday's. Watch how Toronto handles Minnesota without him, since it is the first game this season without Leonard in the lineup. Bittle's status is also worth tracking.
Is Kawhi Leonard playing at the Timberwolves on Sunday?
No. Leonard is out for Sunday's game at Minnesota with left knee swelling. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET on NBA TV.
When will Kawhi Leonard be back?
The injury report lists an expected return of Oct. 28. No other timeline has been announced.