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San Antonio Spurs F Kawhi Leonard cleared to play in Game 1 vs. Golden State Warriors

By The Sports Xchange
San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles up the court. File photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/UPI
San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles up the court. File photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/UPI | License Photo

San Antonio Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard has been cleared to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Leonard was a full participant in practice on Saturday and confirmed he will be in the starting lineup for the afternoon game in Oakland.

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Leonard, who injured his ankle Tuesday, missed the Spurs' semifinals-clinching 114-75 win in Game 6 over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. The Spurs got a season-high 34 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and played without Leonard and point guard Tony Parker (torn left quadriceps).

Popovich announced before the game that Leonard would not play. Jonathon Simmons filled in for Leonard and scored 18 points.

Leonard sustained the injury when he came down on the foot of Houston's James Harden while turning to run up the court with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter of Game 5. He played half of the fourth quarter and did not take the court for overtime but still led the Spurs with 22 points and 15 rebounds.

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Leonard is averaging 27.8 points on 52.4 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists during the postseason.

Popovich does not see any carry-over advantage in the team's quick turnaround after beating the Rockets in the series 4-2.

"It's a totally different animal. Every team is different," Popovich told reporters Saturday. "I don't think too much about carrying over this, that, or the other. Somebody actually asked me when we opened the Houston series what I would take from the '95 series (against the Rockets), if you guys remember that."

Warriors assistant Mike Brown has been filling in for coach Steve Kerr, who remains sidelines with symptoms from complications following two back surgeries two years ago.

Brown is in his first season with the Warriors and was an assistant with the Spurs when Kerr played for that franchise.

"Mike who?" Popovich joked before praising his former assistant. "He just has a presence about him. He has a confidence. ... He has a great mind, he understands the game, he knows what it takes to win, he's strong enough to make demands fairly and follow through, and he's great with people. So what more could you ask?"

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