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Report: Kawhi Leonard to miss rest of playoffs

April 15, 2018April 15, 2018UncategorizedLeave a Comment

According to Yahoo! Sports, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss the rest of the postseason with a right quad injury.

Leonard, 26, has played in only nine games this season for the Spurs.

Leonard has been rehabbing in New York because that is where his medical staff is located, and he has not been cleared by his doctors, according to the report.

This a big, but not surprising blow for the Spurs. Yesterday, the Spurs were routed by the Warriors 113-92 in Game 1 of their first-round series. Game 2 is on Monday night at Oracle Arena.

Leonard was reportedly cleared to return by team doctors back in February.

Here is what Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had to say about Leonard:

Gregg Popovich's response when asked if we will see Kawhi Leonard at all in this series. #Spurs pic.twitter.com/Gjd03xDzKm

— John Elizondo (@johndelizondo) April 15, 2018

The two-time All-Star averaged 25.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and 3.5 apg last season for the Spurs.

Kellerman: ‘Steph right now is a bigger loss than the Spurs not having Kawhi'(WATCH)

April 13, 2018April 14, 2018Uncategorized

Coming into the 2018 NBA playoffs, both the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs are depleted.

The Warriors’ Steph Curry is expected to miss the first-round after injuring his left knee, while the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard has played in only nine games this season due to a right quad injury. No word if Leonard will be available at any point in these playoffs.

The Warriors, who are the 2nd seed in the Western Conference, will face the 7th seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first-round of the playoffs. Game 1 will be on Saturday at Oracle Arena.

Obviously, the Warriors still have Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, which will make it very difficutl for the Spurs to win this series.

Which loss is greater Curry or Leonard?

ESPN’s Max Kellerman gave his thoughts on ESPN’s First Take today:

.@maxkellerman thinks the Warriors losing Steph Curry is a bigger loss than the Spurs losing Kawhi Leonard. pic.twitter.com/MP2RkDOiHX

— First Take (@FirstTake) April 13, 2018

The answer is pretty obvious. Kawhi Leonard is the Spurs best player, so it’s going to be very difficult for San Antonio to win without him. Regarding the Warriors, you can argue that their best player will still be on the court in Durant. Therefore, they could make a long run in the playoffs without Curry.

Stephen A. Smith on Kawhi: ‘I don’t know what the hell is going on'(WATCH)

April 3, 2018Uncategorized

The Kawhi Leonard situation just keeps getting stranger by the minute. Last week, according to ESPN, Leonard traveled to New York to continue rehabilitation for his lingering right quad injury under the supervision of outside medical personnel.

This is the second time Leonard has spent time in New York trying to rehab his right quad. Leonard was in New York with his medical team back in February.

On Sunday, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had this to say about Leonard:

“I don’t know when he’s going to feel, he and his group are going to feel like they’re ready to go. If I knew, he’d be here. When he and his group feel he’s ready, he’ll be ready,” Popovich said.

At this point, it is starting to look more and more unlikely that Leonard will play again this season. The two-time All-Star has played in only nine games this season.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is confused by the whole situation. Here is what he had to say on ESPN’s First Take today:

Sean Elliott on Leonard: ‘I think he’s really happy in San Antonio’

March 28, 2018Uncategorized

There has been so much speculation about what’s going on with Kawhi Leonard. Does he want out of San Antonio? Is he still injured? The questions continue to have no answers.

Here is what we do know, Leonard has played in only nine games due to a right quad injury.

There has been some thought that Leonatd is unhappy in San Antonio. However, according to current Spurs TV analyst Sean Elliott, that is not the case:

“I think he’s really happy in San Antonio,” Elliott told TMZ Sports. “The city has been good to him, the organization has been great to him, he has a great relationship with Pop(Gregg Popovich). I think a lot of that has been mentioned. I try to stay out of all that stuff, but I think Kawhi is happy in San Antonio, that’s my opinion.”

In order for the Spurs to make some noise in the playoffs, they need Leonard, but Elliott thinks they can win in the first-round without Leonard:

“The way we’re playing right now, even though we lost the other night in Milwaukee, we’re playing well,” Elliott said. “It’s good to see us kind of playing well at the right time. I don’t think there’s any doubt we’re going make the playoffs, and I think we will get past the first-round, too. And if we somehow get Kawhi back, and I don’t think that’s possible, if we do, we’re going to be good as anybody.”

Anything is possible. If the playoffs started today, the Spurs would be the 6th-seed and would play the Blazers in the first-round. That’s a winnable series for the Spurs, but the Western Conference is very tight, so the Spurs could easily drop to 7, which could possibly mean a Steph Curry-less Warriors team. However, the Warriors still have Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

With that being said, if I’m the Spurs, I would prefer to play the Blazers and take my chances with them.

Whitlock on Spurs: ‘They’re trying to bully and harass Kawhi Leonard back onto the court'(WATCH)

March 24, 2018March 24, 2018Uncategorized

The whole Kawhi Leonard situation as turned into a giant soap opera. Leonard, who has played in only nine game this season due to a right quad injury, was reportedly cleared by the Spurs medical staff months ago.

However, Leonard has said that he is not ready to return. Yesterday, according to ESPN, the Spurs held a players-only meeting trying to get Leonard to return to the court. This comes on the heels of Manu Ginobili saying he does not expect Leonard to return this season.

FS1’s Jason Whitlock believes that the Spurs are trying to “bully” Leonard back onto the court.

Here is what Whitlock and others had to say on FS1’s Speak For Yourself today about Kawhi Leonard:

“The Spurs are out of bounds… Tony Parker comes out and says more powerful things today… They’re trying to bully and harass Kawhi back onto the court. It’s inappropriate from the players.” — @WhitlockJason pic.twitter.com/BqKZLjffh3

— Speak For Yourself (@SFY) March 23, 2018

Report: Spurs hold players-only meeting to get Kawhi Leonard to return

March 22, 2018March 22, 2018Uncategorized

Kawhi Leonard has played in only nine games this season for the Spurs due to a right quad injury. According to reports, Leonard was expected to return last week against the Pelicans. However, it did not happen.

According to ESPN, the Spurs held a players-only meeting, led by Tony Parker, on Saturday night asking Leonard to return.

At times, the meeting was “tense and emotional.” Several teammates spoke up, expressing frustration and confusion over a growing divide with Leonard that has created significant tension between the franchise star and the Spurs, according to the report.

Leonard, 26, explained to his teammates why he has not returned, according to the report.

Yesterday, Manu Ginobili told reporters the following about Leonard: “We’ve got to think that he’s not coming back, that we are who we are and that we’ve got to fight without him.”

Currently, the Spurs are 42-30 and are the 6th-seed in the Western Conference, but are only three games up on the 9th-seeded Denver Nuggets.

In reality, the Spurs have no shot in the playoffs without Leonard, but you wonder if this is the beginning of the end of Leonard in San Antonio.

Report: Kawhi Leonard could return on Thursday

March 11, 2018March 11, 2018Uncategorized

For the San Antonio Spurs, good news could be on the way. According to ESPN’s Lisa Salters, Spurs F Kawhi Leonard could return Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Leonard, 26, has played in only nine games this season because of a right quad injury.

After losing to the Thunder on Saturday night, San Antonio is the 7th seed in the Western Conference. They are only one game up on the 9th seeded Denver Nuggets.

If the Spurs do not turn things around, they could miss the playoffs for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

ESPN's Lisa Salters is reporting that San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard could return as early as Thursday's game against New Orleans. League sources tell me that barring a setback, Thursday vs. Pels is indeed the targeted return of Leonard to the lineup.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 11, 2018

Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard: ‘I don’t feel like [there] was friction'(WATCH)

March 7, 2018March 7, 2018Uncategorized

San Antonio Spurs F Kawhi Leonard feels that he is making progress with his right quad injury, which is good news for the Spurs.

“It’s hard to explain, but I’m definitely better. I feel better, and I’m feeling more comfortable,” Leonard said today after practice as transcribed by ESPN.

According to reports, the Spurs and Leonard were not on the same page in terms of his rehab. However, Leonard said that was not the case:

“[It was] just a group effort to get me better really. Just a type of protocol, step-by-step, that we were doing. Everything was done as a group. I don’t feel like [there] was friction,” Leonard explained.

Leonard, 26, has played in only nine games this season.

Currently, the Spurs are 37-27 and would be the 5th seed if the playoffs started today.

Listen to what Leonard had to say below:

Take a listen to some 🔈 following the Spurs' morning practice. #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/HHlsMT4zbA

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 7, 2018

Jalen Rose: ‘Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio'(Watch)

February 28, 2018Uncategorized

The San Antonio Spurs have been the model of consistency. With the help of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, David Robinson, and Gregg Popovich. The Spurs were able to win five NBA titles in the last 20 years.

Now, there seems to be trouble in San Antonio. According to reports, Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs are not on the same page regarding his right quad injury. However, Leonard has returned to San Antonio to rehab with the Spurs, according to an ESPN report.

Even with Leonard’s return to San Antonio, ESPN’s Jalen Rose believes Leonard wants out of San Antonio.

Here is what he said today on ESPN’s First Take:

.@JalenRose says the Spurs are having trouble attracting top-tier talent to play with Kawhi Leonard. pic.twitter.com/oi9HgioLio

— First Take (@FirstTake) January 23, 2018

Shannon Sharpe on Leonard: ‘I don’t believe he’s faking it'(WATCH)

February 24, 2018February 24, 2018Uncategorized

Spurs F Kawhi Leonard was expected to do some big things in the 2017-18 NBA season, but injuries got in the way, and at this point, Leonard might getting in his own way.

According to ESPN, Leonard has been cleared to return, but Leonard does not feel healthy enough to play, which has caused a rift between Leonard and the Spurs.

Leonard, 26, has played in only nine games this season due to a right quad injury.

“I’ll be surprised if he gets back this year,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said on Wednesday about the two-time All-Star.

Shannon Sharpe gave his thoughts on the situation on FS1’s Undisputed.

Take a listen:

“Kawhi was that bridge from all-time greats like Robinson and Duncan — he was going to take them to the future… but this man has to be hurt. I don’t believe he’s faking it.” — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/insT0sNeKm

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 22, 2018

If a player says they are hurt, then their hurt. Therefore, Leonard has to do what’s best for him and only him.