Kawhi Leonard may have sat out the Spurs’ game 6 win over the Houston Rockets due to the left ankle injury he suffered in game 5, but with the Warriors awaiting him in the conference finals on Sunday, it appears Leonard will be good to go.
The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday morning that the Spurs are optimistic of Leonard’s ability to be ready for Sunday’s game. Leonard missed the overtime period in game 5 against Houston after tweaking his left ankle, and sat out game 6 while the Spurs rolled over the Rockets by a final of 114-75. With Golden State standing in front of San Antonio now, though, Leonard will be key to his team’s success.
Sources: There's strong optimism within the Spurs that Kawhi Leonard will be prepared to play Game 1 on Sunday vs. Golden State.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) May 12, 2017
Leonard has averaged 27.8 points per game to go along with 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in the playoffs thus far. In the regular season, the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year scored 25.5 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting.
The Spurs beat Golden State twice in three games this season, including an opening night win back in October that marked Leonard’s only appearance at Oracle Arena this season. Leonard scored 35 points in that blowout win over the Warriors, but scored just 19 in a late-season loss at home. He rested in the mid-March win over Golden State that saw both team’s best players sit out.
Leonard’s most important contribution to San Antonio in the series against the Warriors will undoubtedly be his defensive abilities. Whether he guards Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, or whoever else is riding a hot hand for Golden State, Leonard will be relied upon heavily to prevent the scoring runs that fuel the Warriors.
When Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. tip rolls around, Leonard should be suited up and ready to take a crack at shutting down the Warriors’ highest-scoring offense in the NBA.