SEATTLE — Following a 15-month layoff from NBA basketball, Kawhi Leonard made his return to the Los Angeles Clippers' lineup on Monday night in the team's win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Leonard played just 16 minutes in the win, all in the first half, as the Clippers managed their veteran players' workloads en route to a 102-97 win.
“It was great,” Kawhi Leonard said on his return to the court. “Just being able to put all that hard work that I did throughout the, whatever, 14, 16 months, just able to put it to test and playing against NBA talent, it was good. Just being out there with the guys and talking, I missed it. It was a great experience for me.”
Kawhi Leonard’s first bucket 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u0PVgDVjI4
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 4, 2022
The two-time NBA Finals MVP finished with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals on 3-of-8 shooting from the field. He hit his lone 3-point attempt, which was the game's opening shot attempt.
“The body feels good,” Kawhi Leonard added. “Obviously, I'm not going to be playing 35 minutes, 38 minutes to start, so it is going to be a little shaky early probably, but it's a journey, it’s a process and that's what I'm about.”
A proper training camp and preseason is giving Leonard and the team ample time to build him up. Whether it's his timing or fatigue, Leonard admitted he's still not close to where he wants to be.
“That's going to come. I'm going to be rusty. Legs definitely felt heavy. A lot of lactic acid in them. But as that time goes on, the rhythm will get back, the footwork, the spacing, the timing. Just knowing play calls, getting used to the crowd, getting used to T-Lue calling plays on the fly, my teammates yelling, the breathing, all that is going to come. I already know that, I know it’s a process and that's what I am looking forward to.”
Tyronn Lue agreed with Leonard that he seemed a little rusty, but it's all a part of the process.
“Offensively, Kawhi, I thought he got a little tired. But he got some shots he normally makes. But just seeing him out there on the floor just makes a big difference for our team. So was happy about that. PG is PG, you know, shot the ball well. Defensively was really good. And so with Nico being able to start the game and guard Dame to start the game, I thought was huge for us as well. So just something we got to continue to keep building off of and going forward.”
Kawhi Leonard says he didn't have any butterflies when game time arrived and he took the court for the first time in 15 months.
“Nah, It was funny because PG asked me if I had the bubbles before the game, like the stomach and I am like, nah,” Leonard said. “There might be a little wing in there floating around.
“I felt the same way as if I approached any other game today. I felt like I was mentally prepared. I felt like the training staff, the coaches, trainers, doctors, they all did a great job of getting me to this point. It is not over yet. It is still going to be a process for me to get better. I’m just enjoying it.”
Me: “Did you have butterflies at all heading into the game?”
Kawhi Leonard: “Nah, it's funny cuz PG asked me if I had the bubbles, like my stomach. Might be a little wing in there floating around though.” pic.twitter.com/RvUJEpToRx
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 4, 2022
The Clippers have two preseason games left on Oct. 9 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oct. 12 vs. the Denver Nuggets. With five days and likely four practice days between these, the expectation is that Kawhi Leonard suits up for at least one while participating in most of the practices as well. The exact timeline will be updated once Leonard make it out of practices healthy.
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