Kawhi Leonard, the talented small forward of the Los Angeles Clippers, will be absent for Game 5 of the highly anticipated playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks. Kawhi is experiencing an inflamed right knee, which also forced him to miss Game 1 and Game 4 of the series. This is a setback for the Clippers, who are looking to advance to the next round of the playoffs. 

Kawhi played in 68 games during the regular season, which is the most he has played in a season since 2017 when he was with the San Antonio Spurs. He had an impressive average of 23.7 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game throughout the regular season, making him a valuable asset for the Clippers. 

Despite his impressive statistics, Kawhi has only scored 24 points in the playoff series so far. This is a significant drop from his regular-season average, and it highlights the importance of his absence. In the two games that he did play, the Clippers lost, which is a worrying trend for the team. However, in the two games that Kawhi missed, the Clippers managed to secure victories, showing that they are not entirely dependent on their star player. 

The Clippers are currently facing the Dallas Mavericks, led by their superstar point guard Luka Doncic, who is also a top contender for the MVP award this season. The Clippers are the fourth seed in the playoffs and must win the remaining games in the series to advance to the next round.