Kawhi Leonard’s presence on Clippers bench ‘builds confidence’ – Orange County Register

Kawhi Leonard returned to Dallas Thursday and Saturday nights, returning to the American Airlines Arena, where he hit 45 points in game 6 of the Clippers’ 104-97 win in the Western Conference’s first-round playoff series over the Mavericks . Season.

This is also the first time he has been side by side with his teammates on the road since mid-December.

This season, little has been seen of Klaw as Leonard continues to recover from surgery last July to repair a torn right anterior cruciate ligament. Coach Tyronn Lue explained via Zoom before the start of his rematch against the Mavs on Saturday night.

The Clippers coach says the presence of a two-time NBA Finals MVP makes a difference – even if he can’t be on the field and play.

“Just having him around, him and (Paul George), whenever they can come is great, just for our boys to see him, our young lads. can see him,” said Lue, with a nod to All-Star winner Paul George, who was ruled out indefinitely at Christmas with a torn right ulcer protective ligament.

“When your best players are around, it just gives others confidence, just having him around is good enough.”

He appreciates having Leonard by his side, and Lue said his star’s schedule will be dictated by his recovery.

“It depends on how the rehab is going,” says Lue. “When he’s recovering in San Diego or he’s doing his moves, just make sure everything is up.”

No timetable has been announced for Leonard’s potential return.

“I think the best answer is, we don’t know,” Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said recently. “He broods every day. He works, his focus is on his rehab, it’s like the approach he took to develop his skills, it applies to his rehabilitation. .

“But no one knows. He does not know. But all you can do is just continue to control what you can control every day and see how he reacts. Literally nothing has changed, and I know that might be a nasty answer or response but that’s just reality. We just don’t know.”

Kawhi Leonard is watching. pic.twitter.com/ABxY2Mhc1S

– Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) February 11, 2022

Kawhi Leonard is here tonight… pic.twitter.com/rJtFnxXaAN

– Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) February 11, 2022

HOOD FAMILY

Rodney Hood joined the Clippers in Dallas on Saturday, ready to debut with his new team on Monday in two games against the Mavericks this week.

The Clippers bought Hood, a veteran wing, along with forward Semi Ojeleye from the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a four-team deal on Thursday. Ojeleye wasn’t in Dallas on Saturday (“I’ll see him when I get back,” Lue said).

“I love Rodney,” Lue said before tipoff. “Wonderful boy.”

Lue appreciated Hood after coaching him in Cleveland, including with the Cavaliers that made it to the 2017-18 NBA Finals.

Lue said their history together will help both him and Hood as the prominent 29-year-old former Duke adapts to his sixth NBA team in eight seasons.

“I think that helps him a lot, just seeing my coaching style and the way I coach and he’s been with us in Cleveland,” Lue said. “We had a chance to go to the final, so he played deep in the knockout stages, so I think that will help him a lot.

“And then, just knowing him and him as a player, how to use him, makes it easier for me too.”

Of course, Lue cautions that there will still be something to learn for Hood, who this season averages 3.3 points on a 35.1% shot, coming with 1.7 rebounds in 39 games for the Bucks. .

“Today was his first gunfight, the kind of just watched and (assistant coach Larry Drew) did a great job of just talking to him and trying to tell him to get through it, ‘ said Lue. “Having him in Cleveland, some things are different than we did in Cleveland.. So we’ll see how tonight is like.”

After the trade became official on Thursday night, Lue issued the following scouting report on a player he knows well: “Rodney’s 6-7, can put the ball on the floor, can Run pick and roll, can shoot basketball, solid defender. . Another solid long defender who can take shots, roll and do a lot of things, in terms of attack. ”