Kawhi Leonard returns, John Wall debuts for Clippers / News - Basketnews.com

Kawhi Leonard returned for the Los Angeles Clippers after he sat out last season recovering from surgery for an ACL tear.

Credit: Reuters-Scanpix Credit Reuters-Scanpix

The Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard finally returned from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season.

Leonard had not played since a Game 4 win over the Utah Jazz in the second round of the NBA playoffs on June 14, 2021, when he suffered a partially torn ACL.

The two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP contributed with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals over 16 playing minutes in the Clippers' first pre-season victory against the Portland Trail Blazers 102-97 (27-22, 25-22, 19-34, 31-19).

Meanwhile, John Wall made his debut with the Clippers jersey, recording 5 points and 3 assists.

The last time Wall played in an NBA game was more than a year ago, too. In April of 2021, Wall scored 27 points for the Houston Rockets against his new team, the Clippers.

Paul George had 12 points and 7 rebounds in this pre-season match, while Damian Lillard scored a game-high 16 points.

Kawhi Leonard's return

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