Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard practices for first time this season

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard practiced for the first time in the ongoing season, the team’s coach Ty Lue revealed on Tuesday. Leonard has been sidelined since the start of the season because of inflammation in his right knee.

The 33-year-old could return to action in the NBA in two weeks if the rest of his recovery goes on the right track and if he doesn’t suffer any more setbacks. On Tuesday, Leonard practiced with the team for the first time since the last season.

Leonard was picked for Team USA in the Paris Olympics but he was ruled out of the Game due to a knee injury.

“He did offensive script, defensive work, and just no contact,” Lue said. “But he did it pretty much everything else.”

Lue added that Leonard looked good on the court and these are positive signs for the team.

“Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well,” Lue said. “I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it.

“So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy.”

Without the services of Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have gone 14-11 in the ongoing season and they are in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.

“I give our guys credit, our players, no matter who’s been here, when guys have been out, we always feel like we have a chance to win and so just go on the floor every single night,” Lue said. “Just finding ways to win. It’s not going to be the same every night. It could be different every single night, but just trying to find ways to win, trying to find combinations to win. I give our guys credit, they’ve done that.”

The Clippers have lost their last two matches and they will look to get back to winning ways against the Denver Nuggets on Friday.