Spurs play host to awkward Leonard return
In his return to San Antonio, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard was treated by Spurs fans with predictable disdain. To Isaiah Thomas, it was a show of disrespect.
“That man won a championship for y’all and u boo him??” Thomas, in his first season with the Nuggets, said on Twitter.
Leonard played just nine games for the Spurs last season due to a thigh injury. Still, fans booed the two-time defensive player of the year, chanting, “Traitor!”
Meanwhile, fans cheered Danny Green, part of the July trade that brought DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a pick back from Toronto. DeRozan notched his first career triple-double in a 125-107 San Antonio win. Leonard had 21 points and five assists, a negative-22 in plus/minus.
Of the welcome party, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, “Kawhi is a highcharacter guy. We all make decisions in our lives, what we are going to do with our futures, and he has that same right as any of us.”
Lakers
LeBron James will miss at least four more games for Los Angeles with a left groin strain. The Lakers said James will be re-evaluated in a week. He has missed four games since leaving the Lakers victory at Golden State Christmas night. He will miss a two-game Lakers road trip and a home game against Detroit next week.
Celtics
Guard Kyrie Irving was out for the second game in a row Friday with an eye injury. The Boston star scratched both corneas in a collision Monday at San Antonio and sat out a game Wednesday against Minnesota. The Celtics also were without forward Marcus Morris, who left the game Wednesday after a hard fall.
Rockets
James Harden nailed a contested overtime game-winner late Thursday, riding his fifth consecutive 40-point performance to lead Houston past Golden State, 135-134. He had 44 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a sixth consecutive win. On the way to 35 points, Stephen Curry put the Warriors ahead with 23.1 seconds left in OT on an illegal basket assisted by Kevin Durant, who was out-of-bounds when he flung the ball. Durant had 26 points.