The Los Angeles Clippers' narrow 120-119 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night came with a costly price tag beyond just the defeat.

Star forward Kawhi Leonard twisted his ankle during a key moment in the game, putting doubt on his availability for Tuesday's back-to-back against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Turning Point

Leonard pointed to a specific play as the moment that changed everything for him in the contest. After the game, he explained what happened on a crucial possession.

"I think the biggest turning point was that three-point shot that got us wide open when I kind of twisted my ankle," Leonard said. "So that was a change in the game for me right there."

The injury clearly affected Leonard's performance down the stretch.

Despite posting solid numbers for the game, he missed a potential game-winning 26-foot step-back three-pointer at the buzzer that would have given the Clippers the victory.

The Clippers struggled with ball security throughout the game, committing 21 turnovers that Miami converted into 37 points, while the Heat shot an impressive 54.2 percent from the floor and made 12 of their 25 three-point attempts.

Status Remains Unclear

When asked by Joey Linn of OnSI about his status for Tuesday's game against the Thunder, Leonard was not committed about his availability.

"Is that a situation where you think tomorrow kind of TBD see how you feel in the morning?" Linn asked.

"Yeah, we'll see what happens," Leonard responded.

Tough Timing for the Clippers

The ankle injury couldn't come at a worse time for Los Angeles.

The Clippers (3-3) face an undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder squad (7-0) on Tuesday night at the Intuit Dome with The Thunder coming off a dominant 137-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

They are also one of just three teams in NBA history to start 7-0 in back-to-back seasons.

Leonard has been the Clippers' most important player this season, averaging 23.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting an efficient 51.2 percent from the field.

The team's offensive flow runs and thrives through the veteran forward, and losing him for even one game could be devastating against a Thunder team that swept the season series 4-0 last year.

The Thunder Challenge Looms

If Leonard is unable to go Tuesday, the Clippers will face an uphill battle against an Oklahoma City team that has looked unstoppable early in the season.

The Thunder are averaging 122.1 points per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and rank third in the NBA in points allowed at just 109.7 per game.

The matchup will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock at 11:00 p.m. ET from Intuit Dome, giving the Clippers a chance to defend their home court against the defending champions, however, without their best player, that task becomes significantly more difficult.

For now, all eyes will be on Tuesday morning to see how Leonard's ankle responds overnight and whether he'll be able to suit up for a crucial Western Conference matchup in the early season.