LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night to kick off their season. They will play the Sacramento Kings without Kawhi Leonard and John Wall in an effort to get to 2-0.
Kawhi Leonard’s first game back since tearing his ACL on June 14, 2021, was Thursday night’s victory. John Wall, who has only played in 40 games over the course of three seasons, also participated in his first game since April 23, 2021. The two of them
Kawhi Leonard and John Wall are both OUT tomorrow due to return from injury rehab.
Everyone else on the Clippers is good to go vs. the Kings
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 22, 2022
This weekend, the Clippers will play the Kings on Saturday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night in a back-to-back matchup. It makes sense to rest both Leonard and Wall on Saturday so that they can play in front of Clippers supporters for the first time this regular season on Sunday, which is the home opener.
For the first time since November 2013, Leonard came off the bench and finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. As part of his ramp-up process, the front office, medical staff, coaching staff, and the two-time NBA Finals MVP decided on a strategy to bring Leonard off the bench for an arbitrary number of games. There is currently no estimate of how many games will be affected.
Kawhi Leonard insists that monitoring his knee and body on a daily basis is a process as he gradually ramps up his activity and effort.
It all depends on how my knee reacts, the Clippers star said. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow, and then progressively add minutes as time goes on. Once I’m ready to play 35 minutes when we all gather together, I’ll start playing, and that’s probably when you’ll see me start. But as I already told T-Lue, he can handle his substitutions anyway he sees fit without my interference disrupting the game or throwing players off their rhythm. Just want to succeed.
Reporter: What was it like coming in mid-2nd quarter?
Kawhi Leonard: I waited 82 games last year, so I didn t think 15 minutes would be that long. This is how I started my career. Act like I was in foul trouble & once I check in the 2nd quarter, it s time to play basketball. pic.twitter.com/ESFshd7hDv
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 21, 2022
There is currently no plan in place to get Leonard to play in back-to-back sets; instead, he will come off the bench. Leonard is anticipated to miss at least one of the Clippers’ 15 sets this season as he ramps up.
Kawhi Leonard remarked, “You gotta gradually play minutes to make the ACL strong. “It may easily weaken up once you start playing a 38-minute first game, but I’m listening to the doctor with that,” the patient said. It’s a lengthy season, like I stated. We want to make the playoffs, and I want to play there. Although the first few weeks are crucial, we have players who can step in for me, as I’ve already mentioned.
No back-to-backs for Kawhi Leonard, whose focus is strengthening his ACL right now.
You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong. Once you start playing 38 minutes first game, it could easily weaken up. I m listening to the doctors with that. pic.twitter.com/NAo6wErUkj
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 21, 2022
After the opening night, John Wall felt happy and energised. Before the game against the Lakers, he described himself as “geeked” and “turned up.”
In 25 minutes off the bench, Wall finished with a point total that tied the game high, along with four rebounds and three assists. He had limitations when he returned to playing NBA games on a regular basis and still does.
Wall returned and exclaimed, “It felt amazing.” “I am aware that we all have plans, even though I have a minute limit. However, you kind of feel like don’t take me out when you get into a flow and start finding your rhythm. But for us, it’s a wider picture. And it’s something that I need to like keep up with and consider in light of how I’ve tried to play almost 40 minutes per game and practise three hours in the past. Therefore, the coaching team, the medical staff, and the front office are excellent at that.
In addition to sitting out back-to-back games for the foreseeable future, Wall will not play against the Kings.
Reggie Jackson, who had a groyne issue and was listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, is no longer on the injury report and is expected to play. No other Clippers players are listed on the injury report besides Leonard and Wall.
At 7 PM PST, the Clippers and Kings will play.
The initial post on ClutchPoints was titled “Clippers playing it safe with Kawhi Leonard, John Wall vs. Kings.”
