Kawhi Leonard will return and start against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, coach Ty Lue said.
Leonard was previously listed as out, but his status was upgraded to questionable at the LA Clippers‘ Thursday morning shootaround.
After playing in two of the first three games of the season, coming off the bench in both games, Leonard experienced stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee at a morning shootaround before a game at Oklahoma City on Oct. 25. He has missed 12 straight games since.
Leonard did not play all of last season after tearing his right ACL in Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series against Utah on June 14, 2021.
Leonard is averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds this season.
Paul George (left hand contusion), who was listed as questionable for the Pistons game, will also start. Luke Kennard will miss the first of at least a couple games with a right calf strain. The guard will be reevaluated within a week.