Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has missed the last nine games, including Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. That absence will end with Leonard set to return for Game 2 on Tuesday night.
Kawhi Leonard came out to warm up at his usual time, something he hadn’t done at all over the last few weeks. Amir Coffey, who started in his place for Game 1 against the Mavs, usually comes to warm up during Leonard’s slot when the two-time NBA Finals MVP is inactive. Coffey went early today, and that was followed up by Leonard’s appearance during his usual time.
About 15 minutes after his warm up began, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that Kawhi Leonard would make his return to the Clippers lineup for the first time since March 31st.
“Yeah, he’s done all the necessary things to get on the floor,” Tyronn Lue said pregame. “And so he’s checked every box and the medical [team] has done a great job of just making sure he checks those boxes. We’ll never put a guy on the floor that’s not ready to go, and so he’s ready to go.”
When asked if he’d participated in contact, Lue smiled and said, ‘there’s contact tonight.’
Tyronn Lue gave no clear indication that Kawhi Leonard would be facing a minutes restriction, but admitted his overall workload would be based off of feel.
“We’re just gonna gauge it to see how he feels and just kinda go off of feel and see how he’s feeling.”
Kawhi Leonard played 68 games during the 2023-24 regular season, the most he’s played since the 2016-17 season when he played 74 games. He averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on a career-high 52.5 percent shooting from the field, 41.7 percent from three, and 88.5 percent from the free throw line.
The Clippers went 4-4 without Kawhi Leonard to close out the regular season, including must-win games against the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns. With the fourth seed in the Western Conference all but locked up, Tyronn Lue played a much more lax rotation over the final three games — all losses — against the Suns, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets.
The Clippers then defeated the Mavs in Game 1 without Kawhi Leonard thanks to a 28-point game by James Harden and a 20-point, 15-rebound performance by Ivica Zubac.
While the offensive output is going to be something to watch, Tyronn Lue believes the Clippers immediately upgrade on the other end.
“Defensively, what he brings to the table defensively rebound the basketball,” Lue added of Kawhi Leonard. “He can be a little rusty offensively, but he’s still going to able to make shots and be who he is. We’ll see when the game starts.”
Game 1 between Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers and Luka Doncic’s Mavs will tip off at 7PM PST on TNT.
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