The regular season has not yet started and we know that Kawhi Leonard is already bothered by his right knee. He suffered from inflammation and was initially unable to train normally. Which had the gift of worrying Clippers fans. Subsequently, he was reassuring and continues to be so.
“I feel good. I'm taking my time to get stronger and ready.”, he indicates. “We take things slowly, day by day. For back-to-back, we'll see that when we talk about it. »
The question will arise as Kawhi Leonard comes out of his busiest season since 2016/17, with 68 matches played. He had missed the last eight games, then a large part of the first round of the playoffs against the Mavericks. Another disappointment in the playoffs, after that of 2023, where he only lasted two matches…
How not to break down physically in the playoffs?
Reassuring in the regular season, the former Toronto player did it, certainly a little forced by the new rules against “load management”. But not in the playoffs, when it really counts.
“I work for this. I want to win the title and I'm not here to just try to play 82 matches.”he explains. “I try to win even if playing as much as possible is an obligation for me. But it hasn't worked for two years, so we'll see. »
As he hinted that this problem could persist until the end of his career, managing this inflammation will be crucial for the 33-year-old. The double MVP of the Finals will have to deal with the diagnoses.
“It's not really about feeling, it's more about listening to the doctors and seeing what I can do to avoid what I did. Because I did a lot of things that probably got me to where I am now,” notes the winger. “We must control what can be controlled. Last season I was probably in the Top 5 in terms of kilometers covered per game, or Top 10 (31st according to league figures) and it was after my injury during the 2023 playoffs. So we have to check if it is beneficial for me. »
| 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.
