LOS ANGELES — Word began to filter through the hallways of Crypto.com Arena late Tuesday afternoon. Kawhi Leonard would be warming up in advance of Game 2 of the Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Within minutes, cell phones clicked and cameras rolled, all capturing footage of the six-time All-Star forward as he prepared for his first postseason game.
Leonard returned to the Clippers’ lineup on Tuesday night after missing the past nine games, including Sunday’s Game 1 victory, because of lingering inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. The two-time NBA Finals MVP only recently began practicing after experiencing discomfort in the knee after the Clippers’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 31.
“He’s done all the necessary things he has to do to get on the floor,” Coach Tyronn Lue said before tipoff. “He’s checked every box and the medical (staff has) done a great job just making sure he checks those boxes. We could never put a guy on the floor who is not ready to go, so he’s ready to go.
Lue said Leonard would not be on any kind of minutes restriction but would “just gauge it to see how he feels. Just kind of go off feel, see how he’s feeling.”
Dallas coach Jason Kidd said Leonard obviously presents additional challenges than those the Mavericks faced in the series opener.
“(You’re talking) about a future Hall of Famer,” Kidd said. “He’s one (player who’s) basketball IQ is high, so he’s gotta be accounted for on both ends, defensively and offensively, no matter how long he’s been out.
“If he’s playing, he’s ready to go. You gotta account for him on both sides of the ball.”
Lue said he expected that Leonard would not be as sharp as he was throughout the regular season, when he was averaging a team-high 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
“He can be a little rusty offensively, but he’s still going to make shots and be who he is and so we’ll see when the game starts,” Lue said.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank had described Leonard’s inflammation as “unpredictable” and “stubborn” last week.
Before the injury, Leonard was enjoying his healthiest season since arriving in Los Angeles, playing 68 games, the most since he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2016-17. He was averaging a career-high 34.3 minutes this season.
SPEAKING UP
Norman Powell stayed quiet until he couldn’t any longer. For the second year in a row, the Clippers guard was not among the three finalists for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award and the snub was too much to ignore.
“Two years in a row? I mean I don’t know what else you got to do to be a Sixth Man,” Powell said Tuesday. “Last year, you’re leading the league in bench points. Don’t get nominated. This year, the most efficient off the bench, given the fact that I’m playing with four Hall of Famers, limited touches, role decreases and I’m still able to put out the same amount of production as the three finalists that were (picked). I think it sucks.”
Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk are the three finalists.
During the regular season, Powell was one of only 21 qualified players with minimum shooting splits of 45% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 80% from the free-throw line while averaging at least 10 points per game, according to Stathead. Powell and Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu were the only two to do it predominantly as reserves. Powell started in just three of his 76 appearances this season, while Dosunmu started 37 of 76 games.
Powell, who averaged 13.9 ppg on 48.6% shooting from the field, also shot 43.5% from behind the arc and 83.1% at the free-throw line.
Powell said he is moving on, focusing on the bigger picture. “By the end of the day, the main focus is to win a championship.”
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VALUABLE EXPERIENCE
Amir Coffey started his first playoff game Monday, a rare opportunity made possible by Leonard’s absence. Coffey had started 12 games this season, but none as big as the series opener.
“I mean, really just pure excitement, just an exciting feeling ready to get going,” said Coffey, who scored six points and had three rebounds in 25 minutes. “It’s been a journey over the years, so having my first one was pretty cool.”
Coffey resumed his spot on the bench for Game 2 when Leonard returned to the lineup.
Coffey said his confidence has increased with every start, every game, every shot since signing with the Clippers in 2019 as an undrafted rookie.
“It’s really just something that comes with reps,” Coffey said. “First couple of years, I wasn’t playing as much, so it has kind of just accumulated off the court. … I guess it’s just kind of been growing through everybody a little bit.”