Kawhi Leonard is finally back on the court and the Toronto Raptors should be happy with the results.
Leonard scored 12 points in his first game with his new team and the Raptors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-104 on Saturday night in Vancouver, British Columbia, in the preseason opener for both teams.
Leonard played 19 minutes and didn’t shoot particularly well, missing all four 3-pointers and going just 6 for 11 from the free throw line. But he played aggressively and moved well after being limited to just nine games last season for San Antonio because of a thigh injury. The 2014 NBA Finals MVP hadn’t played in a game since January.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum each played the first quarter for Portland. Lillard scored 12 points and McCollum had nine.
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RAPTORS 122, TRAIL BLAZERS 104
Danny Green, who came from San Antonio with Leonard, was 1 for 6 and finished with five points in Toronto’s first game under new coach Nick Nurse.
Meyers Leonard led Portland with 16 points.
TRAIL BLAZERS: Rookie Gary Trent Jr. scored eight points in 20 minutes. … Portland led 33-32 after the only quarter it played with its starting backcourt.
RAPTORS: Longtime starting center Jonas Valanciunas came off the bench to lead Toronto with 17 points. … Kyle Lowry scored 15 points, playing the same 19:21 as Leonard.
UP NEXT: Portland (0-1) visits Phoenix on Friday. Toronto (1-0) visits Utah on Tuesday.
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