The Los Angeles Clippers are already considered the underdogs in their NBA Western Conference opening round series against the Phoenix Suns, and recent reports indicate they’re unlikely to have their co-leading scorer return in time for the series.

Clippers wing Paul George, who has been out of the lineup since mid-March after suffering a right knee sprain, is not expected to return to the team for its opening series against the new-look Phoenix Suns, headlined by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report that George will likely miss the entire series as he recovers from his knee injury.

Woj reports that the Clippers organization is expecting to be without George, the 8-time NBA All Star, and the team’s leading scorer, alongside co-star Kawhi Leonard, who himself has missed 30 games this season.

George, 32, averaged 23.8 points, 5.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds this season.

In his absence, Leonard has picked up much of the scoring and playmaking burden. Last week, Leonard was named Western Conference Player of the Week, after leading the Clippers to a 3-0 record for the week of April 3-9. It was his first weekly award in more than three years.

The Los Angeles native averaged 25.7 points, 10 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game during that stretch.

George injured his right knee during a March loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in which his knee buckle inward as he came down hard onto the court.

Although many fans and members of the organization feared a ligament tear, George was later diagnosed with a sprained knee with a timeline set of 2-to-3 weeks. That timeline was presented more than three weeks ago, and the team’s series against the Suns could take an additional week to complete.

The Clippers, who are in the fourth year of the Kawhi Leonard, Paul George experiment, were considered among the early season favorites to win the Western Conference and earn a trip to the NBA Finals. But a season ravaged by injuries and roster turnover, and a first-round date with a team that has yet to lose a game when at full-strength, has put those dreams in serious peril.

With their season and title dreams on the line, reinforcements are unlikely to be available.

The Clippers will tip off against the Phoenix Suns at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

The game will be broadcast on TNT, which can be found on cable and satellite, and streaming on Sling TV and YouTube TV, among other platforms.

Highlights from Sunday’s game will be featured on KTLA newscasts throughout the evening.