Kawhi Leonard Won't Play Game 1 vs. Warriors as He Works Back from Quad Injury

The San Antonio Spurs officially ruled out small forward Kawhi Leonard on Friday for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. 

As has been the case for months, the Spurs labeled the reason for Leonard's absence as "return from injury management." 

The two-time All-Star appeared in nine games this season and hasn't suited up for the Spurs since Jan. 13 because of a quad injury. 

"I don't know when he and his group are going to feel like they are ready to go," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters on April 1, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Tom Orsborn. "If I knew, he'd be here. When he and his group feel he's ready, then he'll be ready."

Leonard, 26, also watched an injury derail his 2017 postseason when he suffered a sprained ankle in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Golden State. 

In his absence, Popovich will lean on Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gay to pick up extra slack on the perimeter in hopes of pushing a Warriors team that is without Stephen Curry because of a sprained MCL.