The Clippers’ plan for Kawhi Leonard and his playing time limit

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Kawhi Leonard played his own third game of the season on Monday night against the Miami Heat. While Leonard has yet to show his usual dominance on both ends of the floor, there is no rush to bring him there too.

The Clippers have the final four months of the NBA regular season to find the cohesion they need in April, get Leonard in a good rhythm and secure a playoff spot in the highly competitive Western Conference.

The Clippers’ plan for Kawhi Leonard and his playing time limit

Through three games, Kawhi Leonard is averaging just 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 32.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.5 percent from three.

In his three previous games, Kawhi Leonard played 19 minutes and 25 seconds against the Atlanta Hawks, 20 minutes and 41 seconds against the Minnesota Timberwolves and 20 minutes and 44 seconds against the Miami Heat.

“He’s cleared to play,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue he said on the day Leonard officially returned. “We’re treating this as a pre-season for him until he gets his legs under him.”

Although head coach Tyronn Lue has not acknowledged exactly what Leonard’s minutes limit is, he has stated on several occasions that Leonard will be treated like a star in the preseason, with most of his minutes coming in the first half.

Leonard was pulled from the Hawks game after playing 3:36 of the third quarter, reaching 20 minutes in the process, and did not return to the game. He was pulled from the Wolves game after playing just 4:45 of the third quarter, blacking out 20 minutes in the process, and did not return. Finally, Leonard played exactly 6:00 of the third quarter against the Heat before being pulled, which also gave him just over 20 minutes on the night.

“He looked better in practice than (in the game). “I think in the game he’s just trying to feel his way through the game,” Lue added. “I think when you come from such a long layoff. I was a product of that, the surgery, the long layoff, you just want to make sure you can play and you’re comfortable, you don’t feel it. I think that’s what he’s been doing the last few games. He just has to get to the point where he trusts him, where he can do everything without thinking about it, and it’s going to take some time.”

Despite struggling with his shooting and limited minutes to find a rhythm, Kawhi Leonard says it’s not a source of frustration for him and he’s willing to be as patient as possible if it means arriving in April healthy and able to play.

“I’m just playing, really,” Kawhi Leonard said. “And I try to do my job to help the team win, that’s all I do.” I feel good. As long as I feel good on the court, able to move quickly, get to my spot, that’s all I’m looking for.”

Leonard also states that he is in no rush to get back to where he was, and is in no rush to increase his minutes and production on the court.

“No, I’m taking my time,” Leonard added. “I’ve done that in the past and that’s what got me on the bench, I’m good where I’m at.”

In every season since 2021, Leonard has been unable to complete his time due to injury. Whether it was a torn ACL or stubborn knee inflammation, Kawhi was forced to watch the end of each of the last four seasons from the sidelines.

That’s why the team is determined to do everything possible to ensure he arrives healthy in April.

Thanks to that James HardenIvica Zubac and Norman Powell, the Clippers played well enough to maintain a 21-17 record and hold down the fort and then some.

“It’s great,” Leonard said of Harden, Powell and Zubac’s offensive rhythm together. “They’ve been playing well all season. Hopefully we can get some wins and move up the table and secure a place in the playoffs. That’s what we work for.”

Head coach Tyronn Lue mentioned that there is a target number of games that Kawhi Leonard needs to play under 20 minutes before his minutes restrictions are lifted or adjusted. What they are, Lue did not reveal.

James Harden, who had 26 points, five rebounds and 11 assists in Monday’s win over the Heat, said he liked what he saw from Leonard and knows he has a lot more to show as he returns to form .

“(It looks) great,” Harden said after Monday’s win over the Heat. “Obviously, he’s just working his way into the conditioning, the game, the float game, all of the above. He had no training camp, no preseason, none of that. So I think for us it’s just trying to make it easier for him. For us, it’s just to keep doing what we’ve been doing and then slowly incorporate him into what we’re doing, but he looked great.”

For now, Leonard’s status for both halves of the upcoming back-to-back set is up in the air. Lue would not commit to Leonard participating in both halves of their upcoming back-to-back, and Leonard is expected to miss half of the back-to-back.