The Raptors‘ prized offseason acquisition, Kawhi Leonard, left the team’s Friday night win with a jammed foot, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
“He jammed his foot,” Nurse said. “It didn’t seem to be too bad. They are still evaluating it. But we figured, end of the game, leave him out and let them evaluate it. But it’s not an ankle, or anything. It’s a jammed foot.”
Leonard appeared to suffer the injury late in the fourth quarter as he battled in the paint during a Toronto possession. Both he and Nurse appeared to be under the same impression that the injury is minor.
“I think it’s going to be all right, nothing major,” Leonard said postgame. “I just pushed off on it and kind of rolled it and I wanted to get it looked at.”
The 27-year-old has played well this season, averaging 27.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 5.0 APG for the Raptors in seven games. He has sat out two games as part of back-to-backs for Toronto.
While this injury does not appear serious, Leonard did play in just nine games for the Spurs last season due to a right quad injury. It will be important for the Raptors to monitor Leonard’s health as they attempt to hold onto the Eastern Conference’s best record.
As Bontemps noted in the story, the Raptors will continue resting Leonard on back-to-back days to ease him back into the grind of the season.
“I feel healthy now, and they just don’t want to rush into things,” Leonard said. “I don’t either. It’s a long season, so we’re thinking about the long road.”
So if he’s well, play vs Lakers but rest vs Utah?
Well said
Definitely want to see him guard Lebreezy.