Kawhi Leonard

In their quest to keep the minutes down for Kawhi Leonard this season, the Clippers are reportedly considering bringing him off the bench.

Rookie [Jalen Duren](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/66332/jalen-duren) might be a steal, he had 14 off the bench. But the Pelicans challenged the Nets and ran right over them — the toughness and grit needed to win in the NBA was not on display. Bojan Bogdanovic had 24 points as the veteran, and A win that helps exorcize the demons of last season. With Luka Doncic running the show, the Mavericks were up by 22 and seemingly in total control of the game. Jonas Valanciunas had 13 rebounds to go with his 15 points, and he was a big part of the Pelicans dominating in the paint. Two huge shots from Damion Lee capped off a dramatic and cathartic comeback. The Pelicans grabbed the offensive rebound on 45.3% of their missed shots — 21 offensive boards — on their way to 36 second-chance points (the Nets had four). Kevin Durant looked great, scoring 32 points on 11-of-22 shooting, and he even had four blocks. On offense he looked like an awkward fit trying to figure out how to playoff off Kevin Durant and The scary thing for the rest of the league? The talent on the roster is unquestionable, but does this team have the grit, the toughness, the determination to push through when things get hard?

The Clippers are reportedly considering bringing Kawhi Leonard off the bench to start the season as they ease him back into a normal workload,

the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs after being out the final 12 games of the regular season with a bone bruise and sprained ligament. However, with the addition of John Wall, the Clippers may be more cautious with Leonard than usual, as the team feels it has enough depth to sustained shorter minutes from its All-Star Forward. Leonard only made two appearances in the preseason, playing an average of 16.5 minutes per game. But we just got to make sure right now we’re doing right by those guys and even if they want to play more and do more we can’t allow that to happen. their cross-town rivals, the [ Los Angles Lakers](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/). [Los Angles Clippers](https://www.clipsnation.com/2022/10/19/23404774/los-angeles-clippers-expectations-2022-2023-nba-title-season-western-conference-kawhi-leonard) open up their season Thursday night vs.

The Clippers will have Kawhi Leonard come off the bench Thursday night against the Lakers in his regular-season return from an ACL injury.

"He has to understand that, as great as he is, that it is not going to just come overnight. "We had a chance to bring him off the bench, start him, see how he looks and feels," Lue said. There are going to be some times where he looks like Kawhi Leonard, there are going to be some times where he is just trying to get a feel and not playing well. "Just want to have him for the end of the game, if we need him," Lue said before the contest. Coming off his ACL injury, Leonard said he pretty much spent 12 to 13 months in the gym working out and adding more muscle. [San Antonio Spurs](/nba/team/_/name/sa/san-antonio-spurs) in 2013-14 when he played as a reserve on Nov.

He was in his second season in the NBA, and it was his first game back in the lineup after missing about a month with quadriceps tendinitis. Before his return, ...

This isn't the playoffs, but with Leonard out of the starting lineup for the Clippers' season opener against the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/), Curry has some competition for the title of Greatest Fake Sixth Man Ever. [cautious approach](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-fully-cleared-for-training-camp-clippers-will-be-very-cautious-lawrence-frank-says/) to Leonard's return from a torn ACL. [Kawhi Leonard](/nba/players/1715792/kawhi-leonard/) came off the bench, he was 21 years old. Load management is nothing new for Leonard, and if he's going to be on a strict minutes limit, this move makes it simpler for the coaching staff to manage the rotation and make sure he's available at the end of games. He even started most of his games as a rookie. Before his return, he spent some time rehabbing with the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/SA/san-antonio-spurs/)' G League affiliate, then called the Austin Toros.

Además de contar con cinco selecciones para el All-Star y el equipo All-NBA, es un bicampeón con un par de premios al MVP de las Finales y al Jugador Defensivo ...

Le dijo a Rebecca Haarlow de TNT que "estaría bien" después de sentarse los últimos minutos del juego, pero Leonard terminó perdiéndose el resto de la serie y todo el enfrentamiento de LA Clippers contra Phoenix Suns en las Finales de la Conferencia Oeste. Estos galardones le ayudaron a convertirse en uno de los 11 jugadores en activo nombrados en el Equipo del 75º Aniversario de la NBA. [Resto del mundo](“https://watch.nba.com/streaming-subscriptions?cid=nba:ilp:partner:affiliate:othaff:display:eg:acq:sub:t-gpm:Generic:global:u-en:”) ¿La buena noticia para LA Clippers? Aunque nunca se cerró la puerta a un regreso durante la temporada 2021-22, finalmente no jugó. En el cuarto partido de las semifinales de la Conferencia Oeste de 2021, Kawhi Leonard sufrió una lesión en la rodilla derecha en un intento de encestar.

The two-time Finals MVP was not a member of his team's starting lineup, coming off the bench for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

— 52 57 60 9 74 72 64 Games started Games It's going to be a process. And I just thought whatever is best for him, whatever makes him feel better.

Además de contar con cinco selecciones para el All-Star y el equipo All-NBA, es un bicampeón con un par de premios al MVP de las Finales y al Jugador Defensivo ...

Le dijo a Rebecca Haarlow de TNT que "estaría bien" después de sentarse los últimos minutos del juego, pero Leonard terminó perdiéndose el resto de la serie y todo el enfrentamiento de LA Clippers contra Phoenix Suns en las Finales de la Conferencia Oeste. Estos galardones le ayudaron a convertirse en uno de los 11 jugadores en activo nombrados en el Equipo del 75º Aniversario de la NBA. [Resto del mundo](“https://watch.nba.com/streaming-subscriptions?cid=nba:ilp:partner:affiliate:othaff:display:eg:acq:sub:t-gpm:Generic:global:u-en:”) ¿La buena noticia para LA Clippers? Aunque nunca se cerró la puerta a un regreso durante la temporada 2021-22, finalmente no jugó. En el cuarto partido de las semifinales de la Conferencia Oeste de 2021, Kawhi Leonard sufrió una lesión en la rodilla derecha en un intento de encestar.

In a move that surprised almost everyone, Kawhi Leonard came off the bench in his first regular season game back since May 13, 2021.

We're just about recovery, making sure I stay healthy in the long run, making sure my body is warm, and making sure I'm not sitting on the bench. I played 21 minutes tonight, it would have been kind of hard to play it consistently a game if I played in the first quarter. "I'm pretty much doing my same routine, just have my mental focus, and just tell myself it's only gonna help in the long run," Leonard said.

The Clippers decided to start the season with Kawhi Leonard coming off the bench in an effort to keep him fresh for key stretches and end of games.

“Tonight’s how it’s going to go and we’ll see how it goes from there.” “He has to understand that as great as he is, it’s not going to come overnight. The five-time All-Star point guard, 32, made his first two jump shots from the midrange before darting to the rim for a layup that showed the quickness the Clippers believed was a missing element. “It was long,” Leonard said. “I thought he looked good,” Lue said. After sitting the entire first quarter Leonard played the final six minutes 25 seconds remaining before halftime, checking in with the Clippers holding a 12-point lead.

Leonard went for 14 points and seven rebounds, while Wall had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Still, he simply has to make some shots, and a night like this will only add to the criticism he's faced during his time in L.A. Davis was limited to 76 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and missed time in the preseason, so this was not what anyone wanted to see in the first week. He was 0 of 11 from the field overall and 0 of 6 from 3-point land. Those measures worked as he later returned to the game and was able to play the rest of the way. The numbers are one thing, but the more encouraging sign for Wall and the Clippers is that he looked a lot like his old self in terms of burst and athleticism. Early in the third quarter, Anthony Davis rotated over in help defense and bit on a pump fake by Kawhi Leonard. [NBA](/nba/) basketball game since tearing his ACL on June 6, 2021, and had not come off the bench in an NBA game since Nov. This summer he finally got his wish to leave Houston and wasted little time signing with the Clippers. In all, Leonard played 21 minutes and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds on 6 of 12 from the field. [Paul George](/nba/players/1755181/paul-george/) had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and [Ivica Zubac](/nba/players/2245326/ivica-zubac/) put up a big double-double of his own with 14 points and 17 boards. Meanwhile, [Kawhi Leonard](/nba/players/1715792/kawhi-leonard/) made his return from a torn ACL with 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench and [John Wall](/nba/players/1755192/john-wall/) added 15 points in his Clippers debut. He ended both of those droughts on Thursday night, as he suited up for the Clippers' season opener but came off the bench in order to ease his way back into action.

Leonard hadn't played since suffering a knee injury in the Clippers' run to the Western Conference semifinals in 2021 and in his first game back, the 31-year- ...

Everybody's just trying to be great in their minutes and I think thats going to help us moving forward." "I thought he looked good," Clippers head coach Ty Lue said postgame. Outside of Leonard's return, the Clippers also got to see John Wall in the lineup for the first time as he made his regular-season debut.

Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game in 16 months, and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a season of sky-high expectations with a ...

Ham said he and the Lakers “would in no way, shape or form put a player in harm's way." 2013, when he came off the bench for the Spurs in New York. Leonard suggested the idea of coming off the bench until he feels fully up to speed. Be confident in your shot, and they're going to fall.” “My goal was to try to be great in my minutes,” Leonard said. The two-time NBA Finals MVP decided to ease back in a temporary reserve role after missing all of last season while recovering from surgery.

Paul George registered 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his return from major knee surgery to help the Los ...

Davis had 15 to lead the Lakers in the half and Wall scored 10 for the Clippers. The Clippers got consecutive 3-pointers from Reggie Jackson and Kennard to take a 95-91 lead with 5:39 left and later went ahead 99-93 on Wall’s basket with 3:07 remaining. Leonard played 21 minutes off the bench in his first contest since he tore the ACL in his right knee on June 14, 2021 against the Utah Jazz in a Western Conference semifinal game. “It’s amazing,” Leonard said of playing on a full-strength Clippers team. John Wall added 15 points in his Clippers’ debut, Ivica Zubac collected a career-best 17 rebounds to go with 14 points and five blocked shots and Marcus Morris Sr. Luke Kennard hit all three of his 3-point attempts while scoring 11 points.

After returning to the court after surgery and rehab for an ACL injury, Kawhi Leonard decided to come off the bench in the Clippers' recent game versus the ...

No timetable was revealed for how long Leonard plans to come off the bench instead of starting. We wanna get in the playoffs and want me to play in the playoffs.” In just 21 minutes off the bench, Leonard played well. “You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong,” Leonard said. Returning from an injury like that is not easy, and some players never return the same. In a post-game interview with Ohm Youngmisuk, Leonard said the following;

The LA Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard for one of their next two games against the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.

Not only is Phoenix the superior opponent, but that game is the home opener, which is something the Clippers likely want Kawhi to be a part of. The most likely outcome for Leonard on this upcoming back-to-back would be resting against the Kings and playing against the Suns. Saturday's game will be in Sacramento, while Sunday will be the home opener.

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had waited more than a year for this, for a chance to get back on the court. It was a 16-month span from injury to tipoff for the five-time All-Star who missed last season because of a torn ACL. So, what was another 17-plus ...

“With guys in and out, we get a good flow, a good rhythm to extend the game but then guys have to come out,” Lue said. We are going to have to do it all year with the minutes restriction.” “It was great being on the floor with him,” George said. It was just great for him to get his feet back wet.” “I thought he got tired in stretches, but I thought he had good pop to start the game after sitting for so long. LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had waited more than a year for this, for a chance to get back on the court.

After 493 days since he last played in a game that counted, Leonard skipped down the court, not once, but twice after back-to-back baskets over Juan Toscano- ...

Ham finally pulled his embattled star with less than a minute left in the game after he clanked a 3-point attempt, his sixth, as the Lakers struggled to come back. Lamar Odom, a star for both franchises in his heyday, spent much of the second half mingling with fans at the floor level, including Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. The Lakers had a slight injury scare in the third quarter, when Davis fell to the court and landed on his back, which has been tight throughout the preseason. He’ll continue to trust Lue’s judgment on when to come in the game. The Lakers’ biggest issue with a star missing in action wasn’t Davis: Russell Westbrook missed all 11 of his field-goal attempts, including four looks at the rim. But James (who was only 7 for 17 from the field himself) changed his tune slightly when asked if he thought the Lakers should go out and get some. As a team, the Clippers shot 46.3% compared to their competitors with a dismal 35.1%. Lue said he hoped to see the two-time Finals MVP play the high-leverage minutes at the game’s end, and sure enough, Leonard hit one of the game’s final key baskets on a 20-foot jumper with 52 seconds left. The Clippers (1-0) extended their winning streak over the Lakers (0-2) to eight consecutive games, every game since Ty Lue became their head coach, with a 103-97 victory that saw them pull ahead for good after a tussle. It was an encouraging first scene for a star who has too often been on the shelf with injury. Wall turned out to be the Clippers’ first substitute before Leonard after an even longer wait: He was 7 for 15 with three assists in his first game since April 23, 2021. Anthony Davis (25 points) and LeBron James (20 points) were among the top scorers, but Lonnie Walker IV topped them both with 26 points.

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a game head coach Tyronn Lue called “nasty” on Thursday night. They did so with a limited and ...

We wanna get in the playoffs and want me to play in the playoffs. Act like I was in foul trouble & once I check in the 2nd quarter, it’s time to play basketball.” “You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong,” Leonard explained. It would have been kinda hard to kinda play a consistent game with me if I would have played in the first quarter, so it was just about recovery, making sure I stay healthy in the long run, making sure my body stays warm and I’m not sitting on the bench as long. I don't put in the starting lineup." “We did some simulations at practice and just for me, I felt like this was the best way,” Kawhi Leonard said after the win. There were a handful of lineup experiments during the second quarter that worked, but Tyronn Lue has been keeping most of the them close to the vest. Norman Powell started in place of the Leonard, but Tyronn Lue used a group effort to knock off the Lakers. From there, Leonard was able to play bursts in the second quarter and third guard before closing out the fourth quarter. In a decision that was made collectively by the Clippers’ front office, medical staff, coaching staff, and the two-time NBA Finals MVP himself, Leonard came off the bench in the Clippers’ 103-97 win over the Lakers. They did so with a limited and restricted Kawhi Leonard coming off the bench for the first time since 2013. So I just thought this was the best situation.

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had waited more than a year for this, for a chance to get back on the court. It was a 16-month span from injury to tipoff for the five-time All-Star who missed last season because of a torn ACL. So, what was another 17-plus ...

“With guys in and out, we get a good flow, a good rhythm to extend the game but then guys have to come out,” Lue said. We are going to have to do it all year with the minutes restriction.” “It was great being on the floor with him,” George said. It was just great for him to get his feet back wet.” “I thought he got tired in stretches, but I thought he had good pop to start the game after sitting for so long. LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had waited more than a year for this, for a chance to get back on the court.

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard was at Crytpo.com Arena but not where he was expected to be for the tip-off. Instead of taking his place on the court for the start of the season opener against the Lakers on Thursday night, Leonard was on the bench in his ...

Yet, Lue said he really hasn’t addressed the outside talk and expectations with the team. “That’s what we’ve been about, just sacrifice for the team and whatever for the team,” Lue said. Lue said Leonard fared well in practices and scrimmages when he started and came off the bench. He had a chance to score as the clock ticked down, but he got tied up in the corner and kicked it out. Lue has said that with the number of stars on the team, there are going to be nights when not everyone gets to play. And that’s where he stayed until the 6:25 mark of the second quarter.

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard moves different. Yes, that is a description for the two-time NBA Finals MVP as a basketball player. The way Leonard takes his ...

Leonard shed [Russell Westbrook](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/russell-westbrook-6Eb0XPY16UzzJWbc/) on a baseline out of bounds, feeding [Ivica Zubac](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/ivica-zubac-OTPpn38MDEHT1u47/) for an alley-oop. Leonard, along with [Paul George](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/paul-george-kIIUTtsJtSpaZfu1/) and [Norman Powell](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/norman-powell-hiYUGADQy1AEo1fw/), went to the baseball game. [Patrick Beverley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/patrick-beverley-un2M7ixIUPcicY97/) to draw free throws. [Robert Covington](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/robert-covington-u9E829AVwz1EFYDu/) during the national anthem. “I was just locked in on the game, nothing really,” Mann said to The Athletic about the anticipation of the crowd to see Leonard enter. At one point, [Terance Mann](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/terance-mann-5ckD9JvYcPCUx6NM/) got off the bench before Lue called him back with about two minutes left in the first quarter. [LeBron James](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/lebron-james-dxRvkEThnxpMbhcr/) belatedly spiked Wall’s layup for a goaltending violation. 10, 2013](https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Popovich-shuffles-starters-to-handle-Anthony-4973249.php), as his [San Antonio Spurs](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/spurs/) visited the [New York Knicks](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/knicks/). That was seen Thursday night when the [LA Clippers](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/clippers/) defeated the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/lakers/) 103-97 in Leonard’s return from right knee surgery. [Portland Trail Blazers](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/blazers/). Leonard started another preseason game six days later against the [Minnesota Timberwolves](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/timberwolves/). Everyone had to wait for the second game in Seattle, when Leonard started against the

Plus: Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks drop Sixers to 0-2.

They’ve started the season 0-2 once again, and despite their first two games of the season having come against the defending champs and one of this season’s favorites to win it all, it just looks (and is) so bad. He scored just 15 points in just over 36 minutes of action and shot six-for-21 from the field. Across the board for the Clippers, minutes were doled out somewhat equally, as were shots. There are 80 more to be played, and most of them won’t be against the two best teams in the Eastern Conference (which is exactly how Philly has started its season). The Eagles are the only undefeated team left in the NFL; the Phillies are tied with the Padres at one game apiece in the NLCS. So we just go from one night of two games to a night of 11 games, then another one of just two?

Leonard went for 14 points and seven rebounds, while Wall had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Still, he simply has to make some shots, and a night like this will only add to the criticism he's faced during his time in L.A. Davis was limited to 76 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and missed time in the preseason, so this was not what anyone wanted to see in the first week. He was 0 of 11 from the field overall and 0 of 6 from 3-point land. Those measures worked as he later returned to the game and was able to play the rest of the way. The numbers are one thing, but the more encouraging sign for Wall and the Clippers is that he looked a lot like his old self in terms of burst and athleticism. Early in the third quarter, Anthony Davis rotated over in help defense and bit on a pump fake by Kawhi Leonard. [NBA](/nba/) basketball game since tearing his ACL on June 6, 2021, and had not come off the bench in an NBA game since Nov. This summer he finally got his wish to leave Houston and wasted little time signing with the Clippers. In all, Leonard played 21 minutes and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds on 6 of 12 from the field. [Paul George](/nba/players/1755181/paul-george/) had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and [Ivica Zubac](/nba/players/2245326/ivica-zubac/) put up a big double-double of his own with 14 points and 17 boards. Meanwhile, [Kawhi Leonard](/nba/players/1715792/kawhi-leonard/) made his return from a torn ACL with 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench and [John Wall](/nba/players/1755192/john-wall/) added 15 points in his Clippers debut. He ended both of those droughts on Thursday night, as he suited up for the Clippers' season opener but came off the bench in order to ease his way back into action.