The Los Angeles Clippers received positive news regarding Kawhi Leonard and Mason Plumlee before the team’s New Year matchup with the Miami Heat. Leonard, who has missed the past four games with a sprained hip, returned to practice Sunday afternoon and was fully engaged.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP was supposed to be a limited participant in the Clippersand#039; the last practice, but I did not participate. If Kawhi Leonard practices, he will have a chance to return Monday night and face Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
Kawhi Leonard is averaging 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three in 27 games for the Clippers this season. Leonard told ClutchPoints last weekend that he didn’t expect to be out long, so it certainly seems like a return is imminent. Mason Plumlee, who was out with a sprained left knee, was injured on the 6th against the New York Knicks. in November, is also fully participating in its first full-scale training today.
Plumlee played three-on-three and five-on-five drills in practice, with every last drill painless. Through six games this season, Mason Plumlee is averaging 5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game on 63.2 percent shooting. His return creates an interesting dilemma for the Clippers, who signed free agent Daniel Theis as a backup center after Plumlee and #039 were injured.
After finding a rotation that works for them and with Plumlee back on the horizon, it remains to be seen what the Clippers will do with their big men. James Harden also did a lot of extra work with Ivica Zubac and Daniel Theis to figure out their two-man game. Will the Clippers switch things up and go with two big second units? Do you do a full DNP? Is Tyronn Lue approaching who he thinks the Clippers need more of on a game-by-game basis? The Clippers face the Heat on Monday night at 7:30 PST.
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