Tag: kawhi leonard

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George out for Clippers at Suns Game 5

It’s looking rough for the Clippers. Via ESPN.com:

In Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers will attempt to save their season sans Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Prior to Tuesday’s game in Phoenix, the Clippers ruled out both of their franchise stars on Monday. With one more victory, the Suns can clinch the Western Conference first-round series against the Clippers since they are up 3-1.

Due to a right knee sprain he sustained in Game 1, Leonard has been sidelined since Game 2. Leonard managed to play despite the ailment in Game 2, but it became worse and will keep him out for a third game in a row.

Kawhi Leonard speaks on recent Clippers wins

Via the LA Times:

Inside the Clippers’ locker room Sunday night in Portland following a victory over the Trail Blazers, a fifth win in their past six games to move within a half-game of fourth place in the Western Conference standings, there was a feeling — of cautious optimism.

“I think we were starting to jell a little bit more, like I said, just experience playing with each other,” Leonard said ahead of home games against eighth-place Oklahoma City (35-36) on Tuesday and Thursday. “You get new guys coming in, there’s different colors you’re seeing, different coaches’ voices, different schemes, it’s totally different, different city.

“So I think once those guys settled in and was able to see what we’re doing I think things started to change, but we still got to get better. It’s a lot of things, a lot of mistakes that we’re making at times but we just got to clean that up a little bit and see if we can just keep making leaps.”

Clippers re-sign Kawhi Leonard

The LA Clippers yesterday re-signed free agent Kawhi Leonard.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “a person with knowledge of the contract said Thursday that the fourth year is a player option; he will earn $176 million over the length of the deal. The final season runs through 2024-25, the same season the Clippers hope to open their proposed arena in Inglewood that carries a privately financed budget of $1.8 billion.”

Per the Orange County Register, “Leonard will earn $176.3 million on a deal that will run through 2025, the season after the Clippers plan to open their new home arena in Inglewood.”

“Kawhi is a transcendent player and a relentless worker who improves himself every day,” said Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. “We share many of the same goals, which include a long-term relationship. This agreement marks another important moment for our franchise and our fans, as we strive to create a championship-caliber organization, where players find the success and fulfillment they seek. We’re eager to continue building with Kawhi. For now, we will do whatever we can to support him in his recovery from injury. We look forward to seeing him back where he wants to be, on the court with his teammates.”

More from the Register: “The Clippers were in a position to offer Leonard – who had surgery on his knee on July 13 – two different deals, including the one he signed (which was less than the four-year, $181.5 million contract extension he could have signed if he had not opted out of his previous deal).”

Last season, Leonard’s second with the Clippers, he appeared in 52 games and led the NBA in offensive rating (121.4), ranked fourth in net rating (12.2), and tied for fifth in steals per game (1.6). The five-time NBA All-Star averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and a career-high 5.2 assists while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 88.5 percent from the free-throw line. A 6-foot-7 forward, Leonard scored 30 points or more with zero turnovers in four regular-season games, most in the NBA.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year was named to his seventh All-Defensive team after helping the Clippers finish the season eighth in defensive rating (110.6) and second in net rating (6.1). Leonard was also named to his third All-NBA First Team, the only player to average at least 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.5 steals.

Originally selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Leonard has appeared in 576 career games, averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and Clippers. In 2012, Leonard was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

A native of Moreno Valley, Calif., Leonard played two seasons of college basketball at San Diego State University, averaging 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds, and was named second-team All-American after his sophomore year. His No. 15 jersey was retired by the Aztecs in Feb. 2020.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard undergoes ACL surgery

L.A. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard underwent surgery today to repair a partial tear of his right anterior cruciate ligament.

Via the Los Angeles Times:

Leonard underwent surgery Tuesday to repair what the Clippers described as a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in the all-NBA forward’s right knee, an injury that sidelined Leonard during the final eight games of the Clippers’ season and casts some doubt over his potential availability for the start of next season.

As part of its announcement, the team said that there is no timetable for Leonard’s return. Training camp is scheduled to begin in late September.

The surgery comes less than three weeks before Leonard must inform the team whether he intends to pick up the player option for the final year of his contract, which is worth $36 million next season — with the possibility of then signing an extension. Or, he can decline it and become an unrestricted free agent. As such, he could re-sign with the team for a deal that, at its maximum, could last four years and be worth more than $176 million.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 5 against Jazz

The Clippers, who are already without the services of center Serge Ibaka, now have a major injury problem at the forward spot. Via the LA Times:

When Kawhi Leonard was asked about his right knee Monday night following Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round playoff series against Utah, he replied quickly, “I’m good.”

Because the answer was hard to hear through the videoconference’s feed, he was asked again.

“Yeah,” Leonard said. “Next question.”

Less than 48 hours later, with Game 5 of a deadlocked series looming Wednesday night in Salt Lake City, Leonard is not good. The forward, who has averaged more than 30 points, seven rebounds and four assists while shooting 57% in the postseason, is out for Game 5 because of a strained right knee suffered in the final five minutes of Game 4, when he was bumped by Utah’s Joe Ingles.

And from the OC Register:

Leonard – who was named to the All-NBA first team on Tuesday, his third such honor – reportedly could miss the rest of the best-of-seven series, which is tied, 2-2. He was not listed on the Clippers’ official injury report Tuesday, but according to ESPN, the 29-year-old forward told teammates Tuesday night to prepare for him to be out. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Clippers are fearful Leonard has suffered an ACL injury.

The five-time All-Star from Moreno Valley planted awkwardly on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 118-104 victory on Monday night at Staples. He grimaced following the play but remained in the game, missing both free throws he was awarded on the drive after a foul was assessed to Bojan Bogdanovic. Leonard remained in the game briefly after that, too, drawing another foul and making both of those free throws.

The Jazz remain without the services of point guard Mike Conley. But Leonard being out is a bigger problem for L.A. than Conley being out is for Utah.

Official 2020-21 All-NBA teams announced

Center Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, the 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, and two-time MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors lead the 2020-21 All-NBA First Team, the NBA announced today.

Antetokounmpo was the only player to receive All-NBA First Team votes on all 100 ballots, earning his third consecutive First Team selection and fifth All-NBA Team honor overall. Jokić, the first player to be named the Kia NBA MVP as a member of the Nuggets, received 99 First Team votes to make the First Team for the second time in the last three seasons. Curry, who averaged an NBA-leading 32.0 points this season, received 98 First Team votes in his fourth selection to the First Team and seventh All-NBA Team honor overall.

In addition to Antetokounmpo (500 total points), Jokić (498 points) and Curry (496 points), the All-NBA First Team features Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić (402 points; 55 First Team votes) and LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (323 points; 28 First Team votes).

Leonard has been voted to the All-NBA First Team for the third time and earned his fifth All-NBA Team selection overall. Dončić, 22, has been selected to the All-NBA First Team for the second season in a row. He is the first player to make the All-NBA First Team at least twice in his first three NBA seasons since Tim Duncan (three times from 1997-98 – 1999-2000) and becomes the fourth player to have multiple First Team selections before age 23, along with Rick Barry, Kevin Durant and Max Zaslofsky.

The 2020-21 All-NBA Second Team consists of Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (372 points), Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (352), Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (311), New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (253) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (174).

The 2020-21 All-NBA Third Team is composed of Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (148 points), Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (131), Clippers forward Paul George (89), Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (71) and Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (61).

James has extended his league record for most All-NBA Team selections to 17, which includes a record 13 selections to the First Team, three to the Second Team and one to the Third Team. Paul has been voted to the All-NBA Team for the 10th time, the second most among active players behind James.

This is the sixth All-NBA Team selection for Lillard and George, the fourth for Gobert and Butler and the third for Embiid and Irving. Randle and Beal have each been selected to the All-NBA Team for the first time.

Kawhi Leonard named starter for 2021 NBA All-Star Game

The NBA today announced today that LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been selected by fans, players and media members as a Western Conference starter in the 70th NBA All-Star Game, which will be held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, March 7th at 5 p.m. PST on TNT.

Leonard will make his fifth career All-Star appearance (2020, 2019, 2017, 2016), being named a starter each time. Leonard was named the 2020 NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP, scoring 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting in a 157-155 victory.

In his 10th NBA season, Leonard is averaging career highs in assists (5.0), 3P% (38.9), and minutes played (34.4). The 6-foot-7 forward currently ranks first in the NBA in offensive rating (122.0), second in steals per game (1.8), and ninth in points per game (26.7). Leonard is also one of two players in the NBA this season to average at least 26 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one-and-a-half steals.

Leonard has scored 30 points or more in eight games this season and 20 points or more in his last 11 games. On February 2 against Brooklyn, he became the second player in franchise history and the first since 1975 to record at least 33 points, five assists, four steals and two blocked shots in a single game. On January 24 against Oklahoma City, Leonard became only the fourth NBA player since 2000 to record at least 34 points, nine rebounds and eight assists with no turnovers. He has scored 30 points or more with no turnovers in four games this season, a league high.

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year (2016, 2015) and two-time Finals MVP (2019, 2014), Leonard holds career averages of 19.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native has twice been voted All-NBA First Team (2017, 2016) and All-NBA Second Team (2020, 2019), as well as All-Defensive First Team (2017, 2016, 2015) and All-Defensive Second Team three times (2020, 2019, 2014).

The NBA All-Star Game team rosters will be drafted by two captains, who will choose from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference, making their selections regardless of conference affiliation. The captains will be the All-Star starters who receive the most fan votes in their respective conference.

Clippers need improvement, says Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers are 6-4 this season. Not bad. But if they want to look like a championship contender, there’s much more work to do. Via the Los Angeles Times:

For the fourth time in 10 games, a Clippers lead of at least 22 points was gradually whittled away in Friday’s 115-105 loss at Golden State. This was the first time it ultimately cost them, after being outscored by 30 points in the final 15 minutes.

“We just got to come in and be able to execute,” said Kawhi Leonard, who scored 24 points. “If the other team is scoring that easy, you’ve got to come down and get into something on the offensive end. That’s it, but I don’t know — we just have to change, pretty much.

“We’ve got to change it. We’ve got to get better.”

The Clippers offense has been on point this season. Team defense has been the issue.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is day-to-day

One week into the new season, the Clippers are a work in progress. And per ESPN.com, forward Kawhi Leonard is currently out on a day-to-day basis:

The LA Clippers will attempt to rebound from their most lopsided loss in franchise history without Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard will not suit up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night as the All-Star forward misses his second straight game due to a mouth laceration. Leonard suffered the injury midway through the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ win in Denver on Christmas night. The injury required eight stitches to close.

The Clippers are at home tonight, hosting the 2-1 Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kawhi Leonard receives stitches after catching elbow to mouth

The Clippers enjoyed a Christmas Day win over the Nuggets yesterday, but the victory wasn’t quite as fun for forward Kawhi Leonard. Via the Los Angeles Times:

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard received eight stitches Friday after suffering a lacerated mouth while attempting to grab a rebound during the team’s 121-108 victory in Denver.

A timetable for his return is not yet known. The Clippers next play Sunday at Staples Center against Dallas, with games on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well.

Leonard fell to the court inside Denver’s Ball Arena after the left side of his face was hit by the right elbow of teammate Serge Ibaka halfway through the fourth quarter. Television replays showed blood coming from Leonard’s mouth as the Clippers’ medical staff huddled around him.

Leonard walked off the court under his own power with 6:07 remaining in the game and did not return.

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