James Harden scores 41 as Clippers blow out Jazz amid optimism about Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard walked past the media in the Clippers’ locker room with a plate of food in his hands, his mood seemingly good. He even spoke to the media — as short as it was.
“What’s up?” Leonard said. “What’s up? What’s up?”
Indeed, what is up with Leonard and when will he make his season debut after missing the first 27 games of the season because of a right knee injury?
Before the Clippers’ 144-107 win over the Utah Jazz at the Intuit Dome on Monday night, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was asked about the team’s practice plans for Leonard and whether he would join them on their upcoming trip to Dallas and Memphis.
“Um, not sure about traveling right now,” Lue said. “It hasn’t been determined yet. So, we’ll see going forward after tonight, tomorrow, kind of get a chance to reassess everything and kind of go after tomorrow. See what happens.”
Despite a quiet night from Nikola Jokic, who had a season-low two assists and 16 points, Denver went on a 23-5 run in the third quarter to key a win over the Clippers.
The Clippers, who saw James Harden blast off for 41 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including seven for 11 on three-pointers against the Jazz, are off before playing the Mavericks on Thursday and Saturday. The Clippers finish their trip against Memphis on Dec. 23.
Lue was asked how Leonard has progressed after the forward took part in two non-contact practice sessions last week.
“Progressed very well,” Lue said, “yeah, progressed very well.”
So is Leonard close to returning, perhaps in the next three or four games or in a couple of weeks?
“I’m not sure,” Lue said.
Lue was then asked who might know the answer, laughing before saying Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, would be the one to ask.
“You talk to them,” Lue said. “You’re trying to get me in trouble, man.”
Lue was told that reporters didn’t want to make any wrong assumptions about Leonard’s potential return timeline.
“And I don’t want to say the wrong thing,” Lue said, laughing. “So, I don’t know.”
But Lue did provide some room for optimism.
“There is a chance he might travel,” Lue said. “That hasn’t been determined yet, so we’ll find out.”
Leonard last played in the playoffs against the Mavericks in April.
He worked out with USA Basketball in Las Vegas in July, but eventually was sent home and didn’t play in the Paris Olympics.
The All-Star forward works with the team in offensive and defensive drills that do not include contact on Tuesday with no timetable for return to play.
Leonard averaged a team-best 23.7 points per game last season, with 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He shot 52.5% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range.
Meanwhile, the Clippers keep pushing on without Leonard, who watched the game from the bench on his bobblehead night.
Harden said it has been “great” having Leonard back at practice.
“I think we’re going to be more excited to have him for a full practice,” Harden said. “We don’t really have contact practice, but when we do, just contact practice and then games. So, he’s inching his way back towards the court and take his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”
And in a game the Clippers notched their season high for points, it was Harden who pressed on in a big way by becoming the ninth player in franchise history to have multiple 40-plus point games in a single season.
Harden had 24 points in the first quarter, the second-most points scored in a single quarter in Clippers history. He was six for nine from the field, five for seven from three-point range and seven for eight from the free-throw line in the quarter.
His work helped the Clippers open an 81-47 lead at halftime, the most points they’ve scored in a half this season.
Harden said he felt his game was on point “from the beginning” and that’s why he kept up the attack.
“I always feel like that,” he said. ”It’s just if you make shots, then it’s different. When you don’t, you kind of ease up a little bit. But, yeah, I’m just happy to win the game. I was happy for the guys to get back on the win column.”
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