HOUSTON (AP) Kawhi Leonard still isn’t ready to play.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said the All-Star forward needs more time to get his injured thigh muscle right, meaning he won’t be out there when the Spurs open their regular season on Wednesday against Minnesota.
”He’s still rehabbing and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready,” Popovich told reporters in Houston before San Antonio’s preseason finale.
Leonard didn’t play at all in camp or preseason, after a year where he averaged 25.5 points – raising his scoring average for the fifth consecutive season – and finished behind only Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the MVP race.
The Spurs aren’t alone when it comes to injury woes heading into the season.
Many are minor, like Cleveland’s LeBron James nursing a sprained ankle and Golden State’s Andre Iguodala dealing with a balky back – issues that might keep them out of their respective opening nights.
Some other injuries from training camp and preseason action are far more significant, like the ones endured by Charlotte’s Nic Batum (elbow ligament tear), Miami’s Rodney McGruder (stress fracture in left leg), Indiana’s Glenn Robinson III (high ankle sprain followed by surgery to repair ligaments Friday), Washington’s Markieff Morris (sports hernia), New Orleans’ Rajon Rondo (sports hernia) and Utah’s Dante Exum (shoulder).
They are looking at weeks – or in many cases, months – before they’ll play again.
So the preseason is over. Some teams will be feeling the effects of it for a while longer.
A look at Friday’s preseason finales:
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HORNETS 111, MAVERICKS 96
Kemba Walker scored 17 points and Johnny O’Bryant III had all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter for Charlotte.
O’Bryant was 5 for 5 from the field and 3 for 3 from the foul line in the fourth, helping the Hornets (2-3) pull away with a 29-15 spurt.
Harrison Barnes scored 24 for visiting Dallas (4-2).
MAVERICKS: Dennis Smith Jr. closed his preseason with 10 points and nine assists. … Dirk Nowitzki had 14 points and J.J. Barea added 13.
HORNETS: Dwight Howard grabbed 12 rebounds, helping Charlotte win that battle 50-37. … Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon each scored 14.
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CAVALIERS 113, MAGIC 106
Playing without LeBron James, Cleveland got 18 points from Jose Calderon and 15 from Dwyane Wade to beat Orlando.
James missed his fourth preseason game with a bad ankle, and Kevin Love also didn’t play for the visiting Cavaliers (1-4). Aaron Gordon had 21 points for the Magic (3-3).
CAVALIERS: Kyle Korver took five 2-point attempts, something he did in only six games all last season. … Wade and Derrick Rose didn’t play in the second half. … JR Smith came off the bench to further acclimate to his new role, now that Wade is the starting shooting guard.
MAGIC: Orlando allowed 36 points in the third quarter. … Jonathon Simmons started again in place of the injured Terrence Ross (hamstring). … Simmons had 12 points and Elfrid Payton had 11 on 4-for-4 shooting.
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WIZARDS 110, KNICKS 103
Bradley Beal scored 24 points in his best game of the preseason, helping Washington (4-1) send the Knicks to a winless exhibition slate.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points as the host Knicks finished 0-5.
WIZARDS: All-Star John Wall sat out the finale. … Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 21 points. … Former Knicks forward Jason Smith had 17 points.
KNICKS: Kristaps Porzingis (sore right hip) and Frank Ntilikina (bruised right knee) were held out again. Ntilikina, the Knicks’ first-round pick, appeared in just one preseason game. He said he expects to fully practice Saturday. … Doug McDermott scored 21 points off the bench. He had 12 in his first five minutes.
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