Kawhi Leonard sat out the Clippers‘ preseason opener Saturday night, but he expressed confidence that his surgically repaired right knee will be less of a problem this season, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Leonard was limited to two games in last year’s playoffs due to inflammation in the knee, then he was replaced on the U.S. Olympic team because of concerns that the knee wouldn’t permit him to play.
Leonard told Youngmisuk that the focus in training camp has been on strengthening his knee and preparing him for the long season ahead. However, no determination has been made on whether he’ll be used in back-to-back games.
“I feel good,” Leonard said. “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].”
Leonard appeared in 68 games last season, his highest total in seven years, and the Clippers will need him in the lineup as much as possible to remain competitive after losing Paul George in free agency. Leonard is hoping for a similar workload this season, but that’s not his primary concern.
“I strive to get a championship and I’m not out there to try to [solely] play 82 games,” he added. “I’m trying to win, even though [playing as much as I can] that’s obligated for me. I try to. But it hasn’t worked out [the last two postseasons] so we’ll see.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac looked ready for the regular season on Saturday, but it may take time for coach Tyronn Lue to work out the rest of the Clippers‘ rotation, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Newcomers Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones were in the starting lineup, but they both went scoreless. More impressive were Kevin Porter Jr., who scored seven points, and Kai Jones, who contributed four points, six rebounds and three assists.
- Lindy Waters, who’s in camp on a non-guaranteed contract, won the game for the Warriors with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Waters described the moment as the “cherry on top” after a long week of training camp. “I had already hit a couple of them, so that rim gets bigger and bigger,” he said. “So I just let it fly, and I knew it was good as soon as it left my hand.”
- One positive for the Lakers in Friday’s preseason opener was backup guard Gabe Vincent, who scored 11 points in 15 minutes. Vincent missed 71 games last year with a knee injury, and he told Lakers Nation this week that he didn’t feel 100% until about a month after the season ended. “Obviously I was healthy enough to come back and compete, but I think it was clear to everybody that I wasn’t really myself even though I was able to impact in certain ways,” Vincent said. “It just wasn’t really what I was proud of producing and I don’t think it’s what this ballclub needed me to produce at the time. So definitely happy to be healthy coming into this season.”
With all the new faces on the warriors this year they were out of sync on their passes. Going to take some time to learn the new players rotations. The bench looks much stronger this year.
Moses Moody was the best player on the court both offensively and defensively, and Podz cant score or defend. Hate to see it! Hope Podz plays better or else he won’t be seeing any playing time! Moody literally plays like a Kawhi clone out there now…
Melton looks like Kerr’s new fave, replacing Podz from last year. “Connector guy” haha no one other than Kerr uses that term. Its not an official basketball term. If it is, why isn’t that guy Steph Curry then? Makes no sense. Oh well at least Melton plays D….
GSW still top 6 team in the west, book it!
Moody played great against the clipper scrubs. Trade him now while he’s hot !!!
Why trade the future?
Because he’s not good enough to be a starter on a championship team. The wing is such a key position in today’s NBA that you need a stud out there. I cringe at the thought of Moses Moody the small forward or shooting guard playing big minutes on the Warriors going forward.
We’ll see how it goes. Maybe he’ll surprise me and become a player?
But here’s the thing. He’ll do some good things out there but when it comes to push and shove he will disappear.
He won’t make THE important shot when a pass comes from a double teamed Curry. He’ll get lost in no man’s land after the third pick and switch and rotation on defense. He won’t get in a guy’s grill during a key stop covering the other team’s top scorer.
Don’t get me started !!
@Gary you’re blatantly wrong and I have n0 idea why as we just watched Moody play his Kawhi-inspired game last night. Moody is performing at a high level alongside Steph and Dray (important) he’s doing everything you say Podz does (but doesnt IRL). Podz ceiling is backup PG in this league, Moody is All-star SG. I think even if Moody got 30 MPG and averaged 25 PPG on a team that won 55+ games you would still say he stinks…at some point you need to realize you have made a big mistake here. Hopefully you will realize this at some point this year.
“He won’t make THE important shot when a pass comes from a double teamed Curry.” but he literally has, in NBA games. Why lie like this?
Davey , Agree that Moody played well, and definitely looked better than Hield. But Kerr isn’t going to change the pecking order, which was as predicted:
Starters: Melton, Kuminga, TJD, Steph, Dray
2nd unit: Podz, Hield, GP2, Anderson, Looney
Moody plays only after everybody else has.
I’d prefer they’d play Moody over Hield and GP2, but it doesn’t look likely.
Moody played well but i don’t see him as a starter right now. They shoot the ball poorly but still won.
@aristotle – Moody looked better than Podz at offense and defense, say it!!!
You are off on your lineups, but not by much:
Starters: Steph, Melton/Hield, Kuminga, Dray, TJD/Loon
Melton is when we need D, Buddy when we need O. Loon for veteran vs rookie matchups, TJD when we need energetic big.
2nd unit: Podz, Moody, Wiggins, Anderson, Looney
This unit miiiight cook a LOT of teams and is especially great for a 2nd unit.
When has Kerr ever stuck with “his” plans for an entire season? I agree Melton will get a lot of run early on (til he gets injured), but Podz being a horrible scorer and defender will open the minutes for Moody this season and then we can finally see once and for all how good 30+ MPG Moody is. Podz is going to be strictly Steph’s backup PG this year, which is actually the role I want him in. I don’t want him getting any other minutes other than non-Curry ones.
Davey , there aren’t enough available minutes for your scheme. You can’t play more than 10 guys in a game (excluding garbage time), and only 3 of the 12 players can be DNP’d: Moody, Looney, and GP2. None of the other 9 guys can be DNP’d without incident.
Kerr has made a bunch of public statements this week. Other than Steph, all the minutes at PG and SG are going to Podz, Melton, and Hield.
This is a 10-man rotation that accords with Kerr’s statements.
PG: Steph 30, Podz 18
SG: Melton 24, Podz 10, Hield 14
SF: Wiggins 30, Kuminga 18
PF: Draymond 20, Kuminga 12, Anderson 12
C: TJD 28, Draymond 6, Anderson 6, Looney 6
Davey put down the redbull
I think you’ve been paying more attention to Tide Pods than you have the Warriors. Why do you think Podz was the center piece of Utahs preferred package. He is a dribble driver with lefty smoothness I think throws ppl off the Gianobli did for the Spurs. He doesn’t have to score to be effective. He understands lane defending and makes insane passes from time to time. He’s got a game I really like and so do most other executives. Moody is consistent bit his game isn’t sexy. I get what you’re saying. He needs minutes this year. And with Klay gone he should get more. The vets on the team should be 3rd unit and make the young guys more second unit. Gonna be an interesting year for minutes.
Meltons minutes can’t be looked at as anything other than what ifs…. Kerr only has so much game time to evaluate. Combos get work together. Last 2 games of preseason will not be the same
arc89 , good take.
What are your thoughts on finding enough minutes for the wings (Wiggins, JK, Moody, Hield, Melton, GP2) and Podz, assuming he’s limited to PG?
I’m worried this will take too long to sort out.
Bench does look strong, but Zubac always makes me want at least more one real big body. Everybody else in the West is getting bigger.
They have forever to figure out the rotations. Kerr is good about that. Everyone saying Moody didn’t get a chance yet he averaged 18 minutes a game last year.
So the minutes will be spread until we get a few dozen games into it. Not necessary to have the rotations figured out coming out of training camp. It’s all fluid especially with a deep team like this.
Gary , are you really ok with waiting a few dozen games to get the lineups worked out?
We did that last year, and we fell 5 games under .500 by mid-January. Replacing Wiggins with JK, Klay with Podz, and Looney with TJD took took too long. That’s why we missed the playoffs even though we had the 2nd best record in the league (after the Celtics) beginning late January.
The front-office said after last season that they believed we’d be better this year because the young players would be better. Moving JK and Kuminga to the 2nd unit, which Kerr has effectIvely announced, runs counter to that and is, IMO, coaching malpractice.
I’m praying that Kerr’s recent pronouncements that Wiggins is our #2 scorer and starting SF is to help trade Wiggins.
You make great points but I guess I just think that the lineups are fluid over the course of the year.
The situation is EXTREMELY combustible this year:
All these players are in contract years and stand to lose a lot of money if things don’t go their way
– JK & Melton expect to start
– Moody, Looney, and GP2 have no leverage on the free agent market if they don’t get minutes, likely become “minimum” players as FA’s
next year if he becomes a be
– Starting means nothing in this league. ZERO. Who cares about 1Q? Looney has started a whole bunch of games where he ended up playing like 8 mins total in the game. Its the late and close lineup we need to be talking about. But on a team with big time depth like the Dubs have this year, these lineups are going to be going with the hot hands, not “concrete” plans like you seem to think happens.
If Moody continues to play like he did last night, he jumps over almost everyone on the SG chart. But then again, if Melton gets hurt, Moody is gunna get his mins that way. You seem too locked in on your thoughts here, Gary is right, Kerr’s fave rotations are fluid and change all year long and always have.
Davey J , you misrepresent me. What I said is that pecking order is reflected by the lineups, and Moody is last.
Moody playing well in pre-season doesn’t undo the standing of the other players on the team, and the team commitments to those other players.
Perhaps it works out like this with Payton and Moody the odd men out.
Curry Podski point guards, Melton and Hield shooting guards, JK and Wiggins small forwards and maybe JK some minutes at the 4 also.
Gary Payton and Moody getting back up minutes every 4th or 5th game. Play them 20 to keep them sharp.
I agree Zubac always scores at will underneath against the warriors, or so it seems. Frustrating to watch. He’s good but still don’t like it.
You are right about Zubac, which is why we need to trade GP2 and Podz for a big like Steven Adams, a guy who would stop the bigs who always cook us under the rim, like Zubac.
I also love Zubac and lowkey would love to see him on the Dubs, he’s in a walk year, not sure the Clips would trade him here unless they were super out of it, but its something to look at for the deadline…
I see a problem with giving everyone minutes. Zubac didn’t look dominating out there. With Green and TJD out there on the floor at the same time the inside shot for clippers wasn’t there. Still will take some time to get the defensive rotations in synch. How Wiggins fit into the core will answer some questions but somebody will get traded to give others minutes.
arc89 but the game last night wasnt a normal game?? In a normal game, the bigs stay big, and easily push over tired smaller players. This is how Joker has won a title, stay close all game then steamroll the smalls at the end until the Nugs win. Zubac didnt need to look dominating from the outset, like all bigs, his value is later in the game when his size doesn’t regress.
Zubac is 100% physically going to bully Steph and Podz in 4Q at the rim yesterday, but the big names all stopped playing at halftime last night. GSW still needs that 1 Zubac-style big, whether its Zubac himself or Steven Adams or a mystery player, Podz and GP2 can probably bring in whoever it is.
Zubac is not a guard so he will b not be guarded by them. it will be Green, Looney or TJD guarding him.
If anyone should be traded to make room for minutes it’s Wiggins. JK needs more TJD is a double double machine with 25 minutes a game. I can’t put my finger on what holds Wiggins back
Pogo , agreed that Wiggins’ PT should be cut. Better, trade him. And Kuminga should be the benefactor.
BUT, that’s not happening short-term. Kerr has said many times over last 2 weeks that Wiggins is our #2 offensive option, and he should take 7 three’s / game.
“Kawhi Leonard sat out the Clippers‘ preseason opener Saturday night, but he expressed confidence that his surgically repaired right knee WILL BE LESS OF A PROBLEM this season.”
Would have been great if he had said his surgically repaired right knee would NOT be a problem this year.
But I suppose that’s wishful thinking for fans of his game who love to watch him play.
As a few of us mentioned last week, Waters can shoot the rock !! Maybe he’s a secret weapon this year? That’s a lot to assume or ask but Shooters are valuable in today’s league. Especially with wing size.
GSW having the best depth in the NBA is why I am confident they will be a top 6 team in the West this year. Not even exaggerating here, GSW has the best 7-12 roster in the league by a million miles. Many teams are top heavy due to the cap, but GSW targeting guys who fit like Melton and Waters shows that MDJ knows what he is doing.
My only change is either one of Moody or Podz have to be packaged with GP2 to get a decent big body C to battle the Zubacs of the league, and the roster is then perfect and keeps most of the depth and GSW will be facing Boston again in the Finals.
Davey J said:
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GSW having the best depth in the NBA is why I am confident they will be a top 6 team in the West this year…GSW has the best 7-12 roster in the league by a million miles.
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Yes, we probably have the best 10-12 in the league. Unfortunately, the data shows that contributions from players 10-12 (ranked by minutes) matter relatively little. Barring inordinate injuries, there aren’t enough minutes for players 10-12 to contribute much.
That’s why it’s preferable to allocate more money to your better players, and less to the remaining players. “Stars before depth.”
Paying $28M/yr to roster spots 10-12 (see Hield + Looney + GP2) will likely prove a misallocation.
Kawhi needs to get on that knees over toes program
Once again, Davey J doesn’t know “ball”. Zubac signed a 3 year extension in March.
Top 6 in West easily. Finals again against Boston? Wow. As a Boston fan I can’t emphasise enough how happy I’d be with that outcome. They’ll be lucky to make the playoffs. Warriors are in NBA cup territory.
It’s kind of creepy to watch someone with multiple accounts argue with themselves on here (see above). Happens so much on here.
RenoChris- that’s how it looks when you have somebody blocked/muted. (It’ll look like people are talking to themselves.). Go to your account page to see who’s being blocked.