Suns vs. Clippers NBA playoffs Game 3 injury report, odds: Kawhi Leonard ruled out in surprise, spread rises nearly five points

In the first two games of the Western Conference first-round series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns, the best player had been L.A.'s Kawhi Leonard, looking healthier than he has in a long while. That's what's such a surprise that Leonard will join All-Star teammate Paul George on the bench tonight for Game 3 in L.A. due to a knee sprain. Once 2.5-point favorites, the Suns are now -7 at Caesars. The total dropped from 227 to 224. Click here for model picks.

Leonard, who missed all of the previous campaign with a right ACL injury and was handled gently this season (only 52 regular-season games played), had 38 points, five assists and five rebounds with a plus-3 rating over 42 minutes in the Clippers' 115-110 road upset in Game 1. In Game 2 over 38 minutes, he had 31 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals with a minus-10 rating in the 123-109 loss.

Perhaps Leonard's body simply can't play heavy minutes like that any longer, even with a day off in between games. Leonard is being listed as day-to-day for Saturday's Game 4. This injury reportedly isn't related to his previous ACL issue. George hasn't played in the series and won't. 

Leonard outscored Suns star Kevin Durant in both games – late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is the only player to outscore Durant in three straight playoff games within a series. He did it in the final three games of the 2012 Western Conference semifinals, which would prove to be Bryant's final playoff series. The most-wagered player prop for tonight's game was Leonard Over 29.5 points at -105. Durant Over 28.5 points at -105 is No. 3 on that list.

The sportsbooks are readjusting nearly everything as we speak, so there are no updated Clippers player props, but the points + rebounds + assist totals for the likes of Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell figure to skyrocket as they should be options No. 1 & 2 offensively. This writer was about to play Powell at Over 19.5, but that number's long gone.

Phoenix has been adjusted to -465 on the series line (was -300) with L.A. at +375 (up from +240). Before this news, 64% of the series bets were on the Clippers, but 75% of the money was on the Suns. 

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