It was announced during the offseason that two-time NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard would make his return to the cour with the Los Angeles Clippers. During the preseason, the team managed by Tyronn Lue was very careful about his playing time on the court to avoid any issues. However, its not until December that the Clippers finally watched what Leonard recovered looks like.
After two games in October where Leonard played 23 minutes on average, the Clippers tried to avoid as many mistakes as they could. Even with minor pain Leonard managed to play in three games, and 23 minutes on average as well. As December started, Paul George was eager to watch his teammate play regularly with him.
In his very first night of the last month of year, Leonard managed to pull up 16 points on 7-out-of-15 field goal attemps, while making his two free throws of the night. Also, he made two assists, and pulled up 5 rebounds for the 119-117 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
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“I think we’re seeing him more and more get to his spots,” George said of Leonard. “We’re seeing him get comfortable. We’re seeing him be more aggressive as the games go on. He looked like himself. He took the shots that the defense gave him, and his playmaking is always special with his ability to get to the paint and use his body."
“Watching him, it’s him just getting back to home for him. You know, this is his happy place, his home right here. So we’re gonna continue to support him around him, and again it just comes down to everybody now being in their roles and, you know, shining within that.”
The Clippers have started a four-game schedule at the Crypto.Com Arena. Then, the team managed by Tyronn Lue will head through a three-game schedule on the road against probably the best two teams in the NBA today. First against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, December 13, and against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, December 16.
