It was ghost night in the NBA. Because in addition to Ben Simmons and Jamal Murray, the Clippers recorded the returns of Kawhi Leonard and John Wall. For the winger, absent from the grounds of the Great League for 476 days and his rupture of a cruciate ligament in the knee, this return to business took place without effusion.
” It was great “ he explained after the matchconcluded with 11 points at 3/8 shooting, plus 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 16 minutes on the floor. “Being able to put into action all the work I’ve done over the last 14 or 16 months and play against NBA-level players has been good for me. »
Obviously, Kawhi Leonard has spent a lot of time in the weight room because he seems even more powerful than before his injury. In any case, we found him as we had left him, targeting the “weak” opposing defenders to work at his favorite spots and recover throws.
“It’s funny because PG [Paul George] asked me if I had butterflies before the game, in my stomach. I replied: ‘No’. »
And when asked if he was tense before the meeting, “The Klaw” smiles.
“It’s funny because PG [Paul George] asked me if I had the butterflies before the game, in my stomach”answers Kawhi Leonard. “I replied: ‘No’. There might be something floating around somewhere. But today I felt the same as if I had approached any other game. »
Even if he did not directly regain his shooting efficiency, Kawhi Leonard was above all happy to regain his feelings, especially on the physical level. At 31, the former Spurs and Raptors expects to live anyway “a journey, a process” in his gradual return from injury.
“Offensively, Kawhi was a bit tired”noted Tyronn Lue. “But he got a few shots that he normally does. Just having him on the pitch makes a big difference for our team. »
