LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard made his much-anticipated season debut for the Los Angeles Clippers during Saturday night’s game, helping the team secure a 131-105 win against the Atlanta Hawks at the Intuit Dome.

While Leonard felt good about how his return went, he acknowledged that he is still “day-to-day” due to persistent soreness in his right knee.

“I’m just taking it one step at a time,” Leonard stated. “I’ll keep playing and doing what I need to do to stay on track; that’s all I can do. My situation is beyond my control.”

Coach Tyronn Lue mentioned that the team will be cautious with Leonard’s playing time in the near future.

“We’re ensuring that we take it slow,” Lue remarked about Leonard’s playing status before the game. “This is like his preseason and training camp because he didn’t have that earlier.”

The six-time All-Star is likely to have a minutes restriction as he works on his fitness, though Lue refrained from specifying an exact number publicly. Leonard supports the decision to ease back into gameplay gradually.

Leonard sat out the first 34 games of the season, but the Clippers posted a 19-15 record without him, thanks to contributions from James Harden and Norman Powell.

Leonard participated fully in Clippers’ practices starting December 18, sparking speculation about his imminent return. He spent recent days working with the team’s G League affiliate in San Diego and taking part in 5-on-5 scrimmages.

During the Clippers’ media day in September, Leonard consistently mentioned his goal of staying healthy enough to compete in the playoffs. He signed a three-year, $153 million contract in January and felt he had a “good” season in 2023-24.

The Clippers are currently positioned as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

Kawhi Leonard’s Performance in His Season Debut

In his season opener, Leonard scored 12 points and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes. He electrified the crowd early in the game, hitting all three of his three-point attempts during the first half. Overall, he went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc but shot 4-for-11 from the field. Additionally, he contributed an assist, a steal, and had two turnovers.

Last season, Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 68 games, marking the most games he has played since the 2016-17 season when he played a career-high 74 games. In contrast, he played only 52 games in the 2022-23 season and missed the entire 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury.