The Los Angeles Clippers hit Chicago on Tuesday riding a hot streak, but they’ll have to keep the momentum going without their best player. Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out against the Bulls with a left knee contusion, continuing a cautious approach after he picked up the knock on January 10. It’s a significant absence, yet it’s not the only one. The Clippers will enter this game with a thinned rotation and a growing reliance on their two-way wings to cover minutes.

Here’s why that matters: Los Angeles has won 13 of its last 15 games and is on a six-game winning streak, a run that has pushed the team to the tenth seed in the Western Conference. Two of those wins already came without Leonard. Now, the challenge is doing it again—on the road, against a Bulls team that could be welcoming a key piece back.

Leonard’s knee contusion and what it means

Leonard’s left knee contusion has been handled with care from the start. He played two games after the injury but was limited to 30 minutes in each. After that, the Clippers took him off the floor and sent him home from the East Coast trip on January 18 for treatment, described as a precautionary move.

Before the setback, Leonard was in All-NBA type form: 28.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game across 30 appearances this season. Those numbers underscore how central he is to everything the Clippers do on both ends—shot creation in the halfcourt, wing defense, and late-game stability.

But this current run also shows the Clippers can win by committee. The six-game streak and recent form without Kawhi suggest the group can grind out results with defense, timely shooting, and a tighter rotation—even if it’s not always pretty.

“If they’re this steady without Kawhi, what happens when he’s back at full throttle?”

Injury stack-up: five rotation players down, depth on call

The Clippers’ absences don’t stop with Leonard. The team has five rotation players sidelined, a major drain for a roster that carries only 14 players on standard deals. That math forces head coach and staff to tap their two-way talent more aggressively and keep lineups flexible.

Among the listed outs for Los Angeles: Derrick Jones Jr., who has been sidelined since January 3 with a knee sprain, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, dealing with a hamstring issue after missing 12 games. Neither player’s timeline is specified here, but both are marked out for the Bulls matchup.

That leaves the Clippers leaning on their two-way wings, Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders. Expect their minutes to spike. Two-way roles don’t always come with big playbooks; they usually come with simple asks: defend hard, run the floor, hit open shots, and keep the ball moving. If Miller and Sanders can check those boxes, it eases the strain on the main group and keeps the rotations balanced.

With multiple pieces out, the Clippers will likely prioritize pace control and halfcourt execution, minimizing risky passes and early-clock mistakes. The formula is straightforward: keep it close, win the physical battles, and trust late-game organization.

“This is a ‘trust your role players’ night. Clean minutes, no gamble plays.”

Bulls injury update: Giddey and Williams questionable

Chicago’s status board has two names that could swing their rotation: Josh Giddey and Patrick Williams. Giddey, out for 10 games with a hamstring strain, practiced with the Windy City Bulls on January 18. Head coach Billy Donovan indicated everything went well, which opens a window for his return either Tuesday or later this week against Minnesota. If he’s back, his ball-handling and pick-and-roll reads would help stabilize Chicago’s halfcourt offense.

Williams, meanwhile, is questionable with an ankle sprain picked up in Friday’s game against Brooklyn. His two-way presence as a defender and spacer always matters for Chicago’s balance. The Bulls will also be without Zach Collins and Noa Essengue, who are listed out.

For the Bulls, the early question is availability. If Giddey and Williams go, Chicago has more size and playmaking to throw at a short-handed Clippers team. If they don’t, the Bulls will need to lean on energy plays, second-chance points, and physical defense to tilt the game.

“If Giddey is back, expect a lot more drive-and-kick from the Bulls.”

How the game could tilt: defense, tempo, and bench minutes

With Kawhi out and multiple Clippers sitting, this matchup could come down to three simple themes:

• Defense first: Los Angeles has built its streak by getting stops. They will try to set the tone early, switch smartly on the perimeter, and wall off the paint to limit easy looks.
• Tempo control: Short rotations make fast games risky. Expect the Clippers to slow things down, run clean sets, and hunt mismatches without forcing shots.
• Bench impact: Minutes for Miller and Sanders matter. If they hit open threes and compete on the glass, the Clippers can survive the non-star stretches and stay even.

Chicago’s path is the inverse. Push the ball when the chance is there, test the Clippers’ legs, and pressure the rim to draw fouls. If Giddey returns, the Bulls can lean into drive-and-kick offense and force rotations. If he doesn’t, they may need a grind-it-out approach, hoping to win the hustle stats and hit timely corner threes.

Big picture: short-term pain, long-term gain?

The short term is about managing the night without Leonard. The long term is about making sure he’s right for the bigger push to come. The Clippers’ decision to send him home for treatment signals an eye on the season’s broader goals. It’s smart, steady, and, so far, successful—given the six straight wins and strong 13-of-15 run.

For Chicago, this is a test of health and timing. If Giddey is close to a return, reintegrating him smoothly could be a boost, both for this game and the rest of the week.

Bottom line: The Clippers’ depth will be tested, the Bulls’ availability will be watched, and the margins will matter. Expect a tight, tactical game where every rotation decision and late-game possession could swing the result.