Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight? Clippers vs. Suns time, TV channel and live stream for Game 5 of NBA Playoffs

Sam Jarden

Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight? Clippers vs. Suns time, TV channel and live stream for Game 5 of NBA Playoffs image

With their season on the line, the Clippers will be without their biggest star once again in Game 5 against the Suns on Tuesday night. 

Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out and will miss his third straight playoff game with a right knee sprain. He reportedly suffered the injury in Game 1 and re-aggravated it in Game 2 before missing Games 3 and 4 completely. 

On the brink of elimination, the absence of Leonard could be devastating to the Clippers' playoff hopes. They face a 3-1 series deficit and need three straight wins to advance to the second round for the first time since 2021.  

Here's the latest on Leonard's status ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday night.

Is Kawhi Leonard playing vs. Suns tonight?

Leonard has been officially listed as out for Game 5. 

The five-time All-Star initially sprained his right knee during a Game 1 victory over the Suns before re-aggravating the injury in a Game 2 loss. He was forced to watch on as the Clippers dropped both Game 3 and Game 4 to fall to a 3-1 series deficit. He'll now miss his third straight game this Tuesday night. 

Leonard missed 30 regular season games this year due to a combination of minor injuries and load management. However, Lue said that Leonard's current injury is indeed significant enough to prevent him from suiting up. 

“If it’s something that he can’t play through, then it has to be pretty serious," he said. "We’re not talking about he’s sitting out because of load management or he’s tired or nothing like that. It’s an actual thing.”

A torn ACL in his right knee forced Leonard to miss the entirety of the 2021-22 season. But ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the sprain is unrelated to any previous issues with his knee.

The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Leonard, who was off to a great start in the 2023 postseason. He dropped 38 and 31 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, to lead his team in scoring.

He now joins fellow Clippers star Paul George on the sideline. George has been out since March with a right knee sprain of his own suffered during a regular season game against the Thunder. He is expected to miss the entire first-round series against Phoenix and possibly more, if the Clippers advance.

MORE: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul praise Clippers' Russell Westbrook after Game 4 

Clippers vs. Suns start time

  • Date: Tuesday, April 25
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. MT

Game 5 of Clippers vs. Suns will tip off shortly after 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time) from Footprint Center in Phoenix on Tuesday, April 25.

What channel is Clippers vs. Suns on?

  • Date: Tuesday, April 25
  • TV channel: TNT
  • Live stream: TNTdrama.com | Sling TV

Game 5 of Clippers vs. Suns will air on TNT. Viewers can also stream the game on TNTdrama.com or Sling TV.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV, which is now offering HALF OFF your first month! Stream Sling Orange for $20 in your first month to catch all the games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $27.50 in your first month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.

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Clippers vs. Suns odds

With Leonard's status up in the air, the Clippers are major underdogs on the road in Game 5. The following odds are provided by BetMGM

  Suns Clippers
Spread -11.5 +11.5
Moneyline -115 -105

Clippers vs. Suns schedule, TV channels

Date Game Time (ET)/Result TV channel
April 16 Game 1 Clippers 115, Suns 110 TNT
April 18 Game 2 Suns 123, Clippers 109 TNT
April 20 Game 3 Suns 129, Clippers 124 NBA TV
April 22 Game 4 Suns 112, Clippers 100 TNT
April 25 Game 5 10 p.m.  TNT
April 27 Game 6* 9 or 10 p.m. TNT
April 29 Game 7* TBD at Suns TNT

* If necessary

Sam Jarden

Sam Jarden Photo

Sam Jarden joined Sporting News as an intern in 2020 and returned as a content producer in 2022. In between, he spent a year and a half at Turner Sports, managing the social media accounts for Bleacher Report, NBA on TNT, NBA TV and others. A proud UNC alumnus, he spends his free time following the Tar Heels, Buffalo Bills and Newcastle United FC, and has been known to occasionally hit the links.