The Clippers play their second preseason game Saturday in Vancouver, and the Clippers vs Raptors injury report is already long. Tipoff is at 3:30 p.m. PT at Rogers Arena in a sold-out building, part of the NBA Canada Series. Four Clippers are out, two more are day-to-day, and the Raptors’ biggest name, Kawhi Leonard, is expected to sit.
This is the injury-focused companion to our Vancouver preview and Wednesday’s practice report. Here is who is available, who is not, and what remains unconfirmed.
Clippers Injury Report for Vancouver
- Max Strus (right plantar fascia, partial tear): out. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, and he is expected to miss about the first two weeks of the regular season.
- Brandon Ingram (right Achilles, partial tear, repaired in May): out. He has recently advanced to light court work and will miss the start of the season.
- Jordan Miller (left shoulder): out.
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot): out.
- Bradley Beal (right knee inflammation): day-to-day. He was not in five-on-five work Wednesday, and the team said the inflammation is still being managed.
- Kobe Sanders (left hip impingement): day-to-day. He missed the Honolulu opener and was limited to individual work Wednesday, ClutchPoints reported.
The Clippers had not released a final injury report for Vancouver as of Friday morning. “Day-to-day” does not mean likely. Beal and Sanders have both been limited to individual work, which suggests Saturday is a long shot for each. We will update this if the team says otherwise.
What the Absences Mean
Strus was in line to start at shooting guard next to Darius Garland. Beal, who re-signed this summer on a two-year deal, still has not been cleared for five-on-five work, and Ingram, acquired in the Leonard trade, was expected to be one of the Clippers’ leading scorers, according to TSN. With those three out or limited, Kris Dunn, Keaton Wagler and Gradey Dick are the guards most likely to absorb the minutes behind Garland. Last season the Clippers finished 42-40, ninth in the West, and lost the play-in game to Golden State 126-121 on April 15, according to Abbotsford News. Nobody is expecting much from this team, which makes the early development of the young players matter more.
That means Wagler’s workload is likely to grow. Dunn praised the rookie early in camp: “He’s been playing really well… He’s been shooting the ball really well, he’s really good in the pick and roll. He’s able to get his teammates involved. And then defensively he’s been holding his own.” The Clippers got a taste of Wagler’s confidence in Honolulu, where he took 15 shots, hit only three, and still hit the go-ahead step-back jumper late.
The frontcourt is healthier. Rui Hachimura had 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting against the Warriors, and Isaiah Jackson started at center. Brook Lopez has no reported injury. Rookie Baba Miller, the No. 36 pick, had nine points and six rebounds in 20 minutes in the opener.
The Raptors Side: Kawhi Leonard Still on a Ramp-Up
Toronto is also cautious. Raptors coach Darko Rajaković laid out the plan after Toronto’s first preseason game, a 129-105 loss to Miami in Quebec City last Saturday. “We’ve got to have in mind the last time he played live against players was a (play-in tournament) game against Golden State last season,” Rajaković said, per Sportsnet. “He didn’t play any live at all this whole summer, and obviously when it was time to ramp up and play, the trade still had not gone through. So we’re being super cautious just to build him up the right way. I think the plan is to have him sit out; he’s going to have a whole week working out. Probably he’s not going to play against the Clippers (in Vancouver next Saturday) as well.”
Leonard played 65 games for the Clippers last season, so the reunion fans wanted is on hold. Rajaković’s comment is a strong signal, but the team had not formally ruled Leonard out as of Friday morning. His injury designation is listed as not injury-related. The next possible date is October 13 in Toronto against the Knicks. Four other Raptors, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jamison Battle, Allen Graves and Nate Bittle, are listed as day-to-day by injury aggregators, which is not an official report.
What Is Still Unconfirmed in the Injury Report
- Whether Beal or Sanders plays Saturday. Neither has been ruled out.
- Whether Leonard is formally ruled out. Rajaković said he will “probably” sit.
- Who starts at shooting guard. Lue has not named his starters.
- Where U.S. fans can watch the game.
What to Watch With a Short Roster
- The starting guards. Garland is expected to start. The second spot is open between Wagler and Dunn, and Lue has not said which he prefers.
- Minutes load. With six players out or limited, expect extended minutes for the healthy players.
- Ball security. Tyronn Lue’s priority this week has been pace and possessions, and the Clippers were turnover-prone in Honolulu.
- The rookies. Wagler and Miller both made an impact in the opener, and Saturday is a chance to see them against a different defense.
How to Watch
Listings show no national broadcast for the game. The Raptors’ broadcast is on TSN and TSN+, and we found no listing of a local TV option for the Clippers. We could not confirm streaming options for U.S. viewers, so check NBA League Pass and the Clippers’ official channels before tipoff. Rogers Arena is sold out, and the game will be the seventh the Raptors have played there since the Vancouver Grizzlies left for Memphis in 2001, according to Daily Hive.
Watch: Clippers Highlights From the Preseason Opener
The Clippers’ official highlights show how the opener ended, with Wagler’s winner:
Schedule
- Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Toronto, Rogers Arena, Vancouver, 3:30 p.m. PT
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: vs. Denver, Intuit Dome
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: regular-season opener vs. Sacramento, Intuit Dome
Strus is not expected back for the opener, so Saturday is one of a few chances to find out what the Clippers look like without him.
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