It's been almost a month and a half since the regular season started and Clippers fans are still waiting Kawhi Leonard. Selected then dismissed by Team USA in full preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Tyronn Lue's “go-to-guy” finally withdrew from the resumption shortly before the start of the regular season to treat recurring knee pain.
The double MVP of the Finals is getting back into shape in the shadows while waiting to see things more clearly. Ten days ago, the medical staff authorized him to return to the courts to do shooting exercises. On the sidelines of the Clippers' last meeting, lost to the wire against Minnesota, Tyronn Lue agreed to say a little more.
“He is progressing well. He was able to get back on the field to do drills, which is a good thing for us. So he continues to check boxes and we make sure he does the right things. His training is very good, and we also make sure that we don't let him move on to the next stage until everything is validated. So our medical staff also did a great job so that he can be 100% when he comes back.”, he declared.
Congratulations to the rest of the group
The coach also gave news of the state of mind of Kawhi Leonard, rather excited by what he sees from the Clippers in his absence since the start of the season. The opportunity for Tyronn Lue to congratulate his players through the voice of his leader, while the Clippers are one of the best defenses in the league at the start of the season.
“He is very excited to see how we are playing so far, especially the attention to detail we are paying on defense. He is very happy with our new players too and simply with the way we fight and the way we play. You have to know how to win in a different way every night, and our guys are used to that.”
Despite the fact that his current top scorer, Norman Powell, also had to join the infirmary, Tyronn Lue relishes seeing his team in the right car, in 9th place in the West with 12 wins for 9 defeats.
“I would say, the victories! Kawhi Leonard being injured for twenty games, and Norman Powell for five games while we're playing really good teams, to be where we are, it says a lot about our guys in the locker room. These guys fight and play hard for me and our staff every night. We still have a long way to go, but I’m pretty happy with where we are right now, given the circumstances.”
After the frustration of the defeat in Minnesota, Steve Ballmer's protégés will have four home games to get back on their feet, facing the Nuggets this evening, then Portland, Minnesota again and finally Houston.
| Kawhi Leonard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | SAN | 64 | 24 | 49.3 | 37.6 | 77.3 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.9 |
| 2012-13 | SAN | 58 | 31 | 49.4 | 37.4 | 82.5 | 1.1 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 11.9 |
| 2013-14 | SAN | 66 | 29 | 52.2 | 37.9 | 80.2 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 12.8 |
| 2014-15 | SAN | 64 | 32 | 47.9 | 34.9 | 80.2 | 1.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 16.5 |
| 2015-16 | SAN | 72 | 33 | 50.6 | 44.3 | 87.4 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 21.2 |
| 2016-17 | SAN | 74 | 33 | 48.5 | 38.0 | 88.0 | 1.1 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 25.5 |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 9 | 23 | 46.8 | 31.4 | 81.6 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 16.2 |
| 2018-19 | TOR | 60 | 34 | 49.6 | 37.1 | 85.4 | 1.3 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 26.6 |
| 2019-20 | LAKE | 57 | 32 | 47.0 | 37.8 | 88.6 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 27.1 |
| 2020-21 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 39.8 | 88.5 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 24.9 |
| 2022-23 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 41.6 | 87.1 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 23.8 |
| 2023-24 | LAKE | 68 | 34 | 52.5 | 41.7 | 88.5 | 1.2 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 23.7 |
| Total | 696 | 32 | 49.9 | 39.1 | 86.2 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 20.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
