The Los Angeles Clippers tipped off their NBA Preseason on Saturday with a close loss to the Golden State Warriors. After the game, Kawhi Leonard shared insights about his recovery from a knee injury that sidelined him for much of last season’s playoffs.
Leonard, whose knee injury prevented him to play the postseason series against the Mavericks last season, has a stronger attitude after the inflammation that left him out.
Speakingafter the game, the Clippers star discussed how he felt about the new NBA season, and the moment he gets back on the floor with the progress he’s making in his recovery.
“I feel good,” Leonard said, via ESPN. “Just been taking my time, getting stronger and getting ready. … We’re just taking it slow, day by day and just trying to get me back on the floor. Once those conversations come, we’ll see what they’re talking about [on the best approach for back-to-backs].”
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers of the LA Clippers dribbles the ball during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 15, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Leonard optimistic about early comeback
Despite the loss, Leonard remains optimistic about his recovery and shared his thoughts on the advice he’s been receiving from the medical staff: “It’s not really based on how I’m feeling. It’s more of just listening to the doctors and seeing what I can do to prevent what I have been doing because I’ve been doing a lot — a lot of stuff that probably has me where I am now.”
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Leonard’s stats before injury
Leonard was instrumental for the Clippers last season, playing 68 games, averaging 34.3 minutes per game, shooting 41.7% from three, and contributing 23.7 points per game. As one of the team’s key players, his health will be crucial to their success in the 2024-25 NBA season.
“We got to control what we can control,” Leonard added. “I probably ran like top five most miles per game last year or top 10. And that was coming off [a] torn meniscus [in the 2023 playoffs]. So we got to see if that’s beneficial for me or not.”
