Clippers' Kawhi Leonard Says Son Is Motivation for Postgame Treatments
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard said he takes postgame recovery seriously because he wants his body to hold up long after his playing days are over so he can remain active with his son.
Ben Golliver of the Washington Post provided Leonard's comments on the topic following Thursday night's 103-97 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, his former team:
The 28-year-old Los Angeles native has become one of the faces of the "load management" movement over the past couple of years.
He appeared in just nine games during the 2017-18 season with the Spurs because of lingering problems with his right quad.
Leonard returned for the start of the 2018-19 campaign following a trade to the Toronto Raptors. He was limited to 60 appearances during the regular season, but his absences were usually attributed to load management (basically a fancy term for rest), as he didn't have any serious injuries.
The plan seemingly worked as the San Diego State product looked fresh throughout the playoffs en route to helping the Raptors win the 2019 NBA championship.
Leonard signed with his hometown Clippers in July, and it appears his new team will follow Toronto's lead. He sat out Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz to rest for Thursday's clash with San Antonio.
"Our goal is to have him playing and being fresh all year, and we're doing that so far," head coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "I keep saying this: He's not the only guy we're having those conversations with, and every team is doing it. We're just trying to do it, I don't know, I'm trying to say more efficiently than others. But we're learning as we go."
Leonard's comments make it clear the occasional game off and intense focus on postgame treatments help him to be ready for the postseason but also have a meaning beyond basketball.
