San Antonio Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, still nursing a sore left ankle, is expected to return against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.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 Tony Parker (torn left quadriceps).The Spurs made the decision to sit Leonard to get him healthy for Sunday, a source told ESPN. He received treatment on his ankle throughout the day Thursday and spent the game in the Spurs' locker room and not on the bench.Spurs coach Gregg Popovich announced before the game that Leonard would not play. Jonathon Simmons filled in for Leonard and scored 18 points."Everybody picked it up," Popovich said after the Game 6 win. "Four, five, six guys all had good games. It wasn't one guy scoring 40 or anything like that."Everybody contributed.... [More]

F Kawhi Leonard (sore left ankle) sat out the clincher vs. Houston on Thursday, but he could be ready to return Sunday at Golden State.Leonard injured his ankle Tuesday in Game 5, and he hoped to be cleared to play Thursday. He is averaging 27.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists during the postseason.

San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Thursday's Game 6 of the Western Conference second-round series versus the host Houston Rockets, coach Gregg Popovich said.Leonard injured his left ankle in Tuesday's Game 5 and hoped to be cleared to play in the possible close-out contest for the Spurs, who lead the series 3-2."Kawhi's out," Popovich told reporters about 90 minutes before tipoff. "He'd rather play."Popovich said Jonathan Simmons will start in place of Leonard.Earlier in the day, Popovich termed Leonard as a game-time decision.Leonard, nursing the left ankle, walked slowly but was able to participate in the team's shootaround on Thursday morning. The 25-year-old told reporters that he would play in Game 6 shortly after the Spurs claimed a 3-2 edge in the series following a 110-107 win on Tuesday."It's not an empirical formula," Popovich told reporters after the shootaround. "You watch, you feel, you talk to the player and you come to a decision. Going to take as much... [More]

San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard will be a game-time decision for Thursday's Game 6 of the Western Conference second-round series versus the host Houston Rockets, coach Gregg Popovich said.Leonard, who is nursing a left ankle injury, walked slowly but was able to participate in the team's shootaround on Thursday morning. The 25-year-old told reporters that he would play in Game 6 shortly after the Spurs claimed a 3-2 edge in the series following a 110-107 win on Tuesday."It's not an empirical formula," Popovich told reporters after the shootaround. "You watch, you feel, you talk to the player and you come to a decision. Going to take as much time as possible, see what he feels like, see what I see and make a decision."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. He played half of the fourth quarter but did not take the court for overtime.Leonard still led the Spurs with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He is averaging 27.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists during the postseason.The winner of this series will take on the Golden State Warriors in the West finals.

F Kawhi Leonard said he expects to play in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night despite a left ankle injury. However, on Wednesday, the Spurs officially listed him as questionable for the game. Leonard rolled his ankle with 5:37 left in the third quarter on Tuesday night and played half of the fourth period but did not take the court for overtime of the Spurs' 110-107 home win to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. "Yeah, I'm going to be able to play," Leonard said after the game. "It was frustrating because I wanted to play. But I was happy seeing my teammates out there putting in a good effort and getting the win."

San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard expects to play in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night despite a left ankle injury.Leonard rolled his ankle with 5:37 left in the third quarter on Tuesday night and played half of the fourth period but did not take the court for overtime of the Spurs' 110-107 home win to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series."Yeah, I'm going to be able to play," Leonard said after the game. "It was frustrating because I wanted to play. But I was happy seeing my teammates out there putting in a good effort and getting the win."Leonard suffered the injury when he came down on the foot of Houston's James Harden while turning to run up the court. Leonard limped back to the bench during the next stoppage in play and re-entered the game but did not score after a layup with 1:59 to play in the third quarter.The 25-year-old Leonard still led the Spurs with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He is averaging 27.8 points, 7.7 rebounds... [More]

F Kawhi Leonard suffered a left ankle injury during Tuesday's 110-107 victory over Houston that gave San Antonio a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference best-of-seven semifinal series. Leonard rolled his ankle midway through the third quarter when he stepped on James Harden's foot as he turned to move into transition defense. Leonard played half of the fourth quarter but didn't score after a layup with 1:59 to play in the third quarter. Leonard still led the Spurs with 22 points and 15 rebounds. "Everybody pulled together and played some good defense without Kawhi being out there," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "The competitiveness was just off the charts. We're obviously thrilled with the victory -- either team could have won the game down the stretch."

F Kawhi Leonard scored 16 points for the Spurs in Sunday's 125-104 loss to the Rockets in Game 4.

F Kawhi Leonard had 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Spurs, who played their first postseason game without guard Tony Parker since May 27, 2001.

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard recorded 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 121-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series.The best-of-seven series is tied at 1-1 and moves to Houston for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.San Antonio's victory celebration was tempered, however, by an injury to guard Tony Parker. He was carried off the floor by teammates with 8:43 remaining after scoring 18 points, clutching his left knee as he lay on the floor.LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 points for the Spurs while James Harden recorded 13 points and 10 assists, and shot 3-for-17 from the field for the Rockets.Cavaliers 125, Raptors 103CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scorched Toronto for 39 points and became the NBA's second all-time leading scorer in the postseason as Cleveland rolled in Game 2.James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5,762 points) for second place on a 3-pointer in the third quarter. Michael Jordan is first with 5,987 playoff points. James also became the fourth player in NBA history (Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Manu Ginobili) to make 300 playoff 3-pointers.The Cavaliers own a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven semifinal series with Game 3 in Toronto on Friday. Kyrie Irving added 22 points and 11 assists for Cleveland, which also received 18 points from Channing Frye.

F Kawhi Leonard recorded 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in Wednesday's 121-96 victory over Houston. San Antonio rebounded from a Game 1 loss to the Rockets to even their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series 1-1. "We were able to get a feel for them the first game," Leonard said. "We're just trying to contest all shots, really limit them to one possession, don't let them rebound the basketball on the offensive end and get them off the 3-point line. The series isn't over. You can't be satisfied until it's done."

F Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He also sat out the fourth quarter with no hope that San Antonio could mount a comeback.

F Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 29 points Thursday. Leonard finished 59 of 61 on free throws in the series after going 12 of 13 in Game 6.

HOUSTON -- Lou Williams scored 10 points during an opening burst in the fourth quarter, and James Harden finished with a team-high 34 points as the Houston Rockets rallied for a 105-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night to claim their Western Conference first-round playoff series in five games.Williams opened the fourth with two free throws and added three more from the line plus a deep 3-pointer that pushed the Houston lead to 86-81. The Rockets once again made progress with the Thunder's Russell Westbrook on the bench, holding onto their lead even after Westbrook re-entered the game with 9:09 left.Westbrook amassed 47 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists but shot 2 of 11 in the final period -- 0 for 5 from behind the 3-point arc -- after carrying the Thunder to the lead in the third. None of his teammates finished with more than 11 points.Harden shot 16 of 17 from the free-throw line. Williams totaled 22 points, while guard Patrick Beverley added 15 points and eight... [More]

F Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points as the Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116-103 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Game 6 is Thursday in Memphis.Leonard made three 3-pointers and the Spurs finished 14 of 28 from long range.Leonard's playoff streak of perfection from the free-throw line was snapped in the first quarter. Leonard made his first 42 in the series, including two Tuesday, before missing. Nearly half of those 42 made free throws -- 19 -- came in Game 2.

F Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 43 points, including the last 16 San Antonio points, in Satuday's 110-108 overtime loss in Memphis. The Spurs' young star hit 7 of 10 shots from 3-point range, made one-legged, fade-away jumpers and put his team on his back while scoring eight of their 12 points in overtime. "It's scary as hell watching (Leonard). He was unbelievable," Grizzlies G Mike Conley said. Leonard added eight rebounds, six steals and three assists to his stat line and his fade-away jumper with 12 seconds left in regulation gave San Antonio a 96-94 lead. After Memphis tied the score, Leonard missed a contested 21-footer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. "Honestly, I'm taking suggestions on how to guard Kawhi Leonard," Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said. "I've tried everything and the guy is just tough. Man, is he a superstar."

F Kawhi Leonard poured in a career-playoff-high 37 points, and the Spurs beat the Grizzlies in Game 2 on Monday. Leonard also grabbed 11 rebounds and converted all 19 of his free-throw attempts, which was four more than Memphis took as a team.

F Kawhi Leonard matched his career playoff high with 32 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter Saturday.Leonard took over in the third quarter, pumping in 15 points -- equaling the Memphis total output in the quarter -- as the Spurs took the heart out of the Grizzlies while building an 84-64 lead at the end of the quarter.

F Kawhi Leonard averaged 28 points in his previous three games against Utah. He had 14 points in 31 minutes Wednesday during the regular-season finale.

F Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points to lead the Spurs in a loss at Portland on Monday.