Kawhi Leonard addressed his lingering ankle injury after the Los Angeles Clippers’ 111-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday at Intuit Dome.
“Only had 2 minutes left of playing the game anyway… I told medical I’d rather play whatever minutes I played tonight than try to blow it out,” he said.
Leonard described the challenge of staying competitive despite the setback. “Been a lingering injury… went to the back, make sure everything was right and got treatment,” he explained. He added that the game remains about execution: “It’s basketball. Things happen. We got a cut and he’ll be ready next time.”
On the Clippers’ offensive flow, Leonard acknowledged room for improvement. “We could get better. We get stagnant at times… just got to move a little bit with a little bit more pace in the half court,” he said, noting the importance of creating gaps in the defense.
He also highlighted the value of point guard Darius Garland when available. “He’s just another guy that can make decisions, dribble the ball, score from three levels… anytime you got another all-star player on the floor it helps,” Leonard said.
Reflecting on specific possessions, Leonard praised teammates for their decision-making. “Coming down transition trying to get a shot… back room good mix… it’s basketball,” he said regarding the play that led to a contested three by Bennedict Mathurin. Leonard emphasized encouragement over results: “I just thought good shot… things happen. We’ll be ready next time.”
On handling a congested schedule, Leonard stressed focus and recovery. “Just like any other week, just go in and be ready to try to battle that game and get as much rest and recovery… learn from our mistakes and see if we can get better,” he explained.
Leonard also assessed the team’s recent struggles from beyond the arc. “These past two games come down to last shot… we get stagnant at times, just moving bodies around instead of everyone focusing at the top of the key… easy to play defense that way,” he said, pointing to areas the Clippers can improve offensively.
Despite scoring 37 points on 14-of-25 shooting, Leonard could not lead the Clippers past Desmond Bane’s 36 points for Orlando. He reflected on staying in the moment after tight finishes: “Probably had less than 36 hours to play… it’s basketball. On to the next one, just like a possession.”
The Clippers, now 27-29, sit ninth in the Western Conference. Los Angeles will return home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, while Orlando moves to Los Angeles for a matchup against the Lakers on Tuesday.
