Leonard, Clippers show how dangerous they can be healthy
LOS ANGELES >> From Paul George’s side of the court, Kawhi Leonard appeared close to being in midseason form — diving for loose balls, cutting to the basket, burying 3-point shots.
“It’s the same Kawhi, I think he’s just playing more, he’s getting more reps,” Goerge said after Leonard
posted season highs of 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the Clippers’ blowout of the Boston Celtics on Monday. “He’s being aggressive the same way.”
From the bench, coach Tyronn Lue’s view was similar — Leonard pushing the ball in transition, playing with pace and pulling up for jumpers with little regard for his surgically repaired right knee.
“Just quick moves, getting to the basket or getting to his pullup,” Lue said of what he saw from Leonard’s eighth game this season.
Today:
“He came to the bench telling guys, like, “Let’s run, let’s get out and run, let’s play faster.” When you hear that from Kawhi, that’s a good sign.”
Yet, Leonard came away with a different opinion of how he played. Never one to embellish his words or work, the two-time NBA Finals MVP simply said he scored more baskets than he missed. Pretty much end of discussion.
“I’m just playing basketball the right way,” Leonard said. “Every time I step on the floor, if I’m doubled, I’m passing. If I can’t get a shot up, I’m going to the next action, making a play.”
Leonard wasn’t ready to declare himself fully back from missing all of last season after having surgery to repair his torn ACL. He didn’t put extra emphasis on shooting 10 for 12 from the field, including two 3-pointers, even if it was his best game this season. Even if it did come against the Eastern Conference leaders.
He is more concerned with how well he can play down the road in the postseason.
“I don’t want to be here tonight. I’m focusing on the end of the year,” Leonard said when asked if Monday’s game was any indication of where he is at in his return. “Playoff basketball. Doesn’t matter about tonight.”
Leonard, who continues to have his minutes restricted, said it will take time to fully regain the skills that earned him five All-Star nods. He knows that he must take his comeback slowly, even if he at times wants to quicken the pace.
“It’s just about listening to these guys (medical staff) that keep us healthy on the floor,” Leonard said. “You know, they got a formula, and they study this stuff. So, just following the game plan. I mean, 20, 28, 30 minutes is a lot of minutes still. Got to just do what I can and try to win these basketball games.”
George, who played alongside
Leonard for only the eighth time this season, said he knows his teammate will use his minutes wisely “and make ’em count.”
In the meantime, the two players need more time to figure out how to play off each other. But George, who missed seven games recently because of a strained hamstring, cautioned against expecting something similar from 2021 when he and Leonard carried the team deep into the playoffs. It’s a new year with new expectations, George said.
“It’s just been a while since we’ve done it consistently, so we’re still figuring that out and I think at this point,” George said. “We have to move past from that year. There’s a lot of whatifs and hypotheticals, and so we have passed that point. We have to create something new, create a whole new story. And I think that’s just what we’re trying to build to now.”
Monday night certainly reminded the rest of the league how dangerous the Clippers can be when healthy. They forced 15 turnovers and held the Celtics to 23% shooting from 3-point range while outrebounding them 4636, outscoring them 14-1 in transition and becoming the first team to hold them under 100 points this season.
In the end, Lue — and to some extent rest of the team — is simply happy to see both stars on the court at the same time. He said Leonard and George alleviate the burden their teammates have been carrying for several games.
“When you have your two best players come back, that’s automatically a lot of energy in itself,” Lue said. “Some of the guys like Marcus (Morris Sr.) and Reggie (Jackson) and John (Wall), Zu (Ivica Zubac) — those guys have been playing a lot of minutes, having to do a lot more because Kawhi and PG were out.
“Now they can get back to their normal roles, with PG and Kawhi offensively carrying a heavy load of making the right plays and getting into to the paint, scoring.”