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 The famous hand, the one that had ligament damage, preventing the
2014 NBA Finals MVP from playing in 15 straight games this season.
It was an alarming sight to coach Gregg Popovich.
"I was scared to death," Popovich said. "He started feeling his hand
and everything. That's one test you can't give him. Before he gets
back into playing you don't take his hand and whack it against a
wall and say 'how does that feel?'"
As it turned out, Leonard was fine. In his second game back from the
injury, Leonard scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the
Spurs defeated Utah 89-69 for their third straight victory.
Leonard produced eight points, six rebounds, a block and a steal in
the second quarter after falling. He made perimeter shots on
consecutive possessions, one of them a 3-pointer after grabbing an
offensive rebound. He turned another offensive rebound into a
twisting jump shot from the baseline that barely beat the halftime
buzzer.
The defending NBA champion Spurs do not have anybody ranked among
the top 50 scorers this season. But they have several players who
are capable enough. On Sunday, center Tiago Splitter became the 12th
Spur to lead the team in scoring, producing 14 points.
Guard Danny Green scored 13 for the Spurs (26-16), all in the fourth
quarter, when he made three 3-point baskets. Backup center Aron
Baynes contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.
"That's what's great about our team -- a lot of people can do
different stuff," guard Tony Parker said. "Everybody contributes and
nobody cares about his stats and everybody is unselfish."
Reserve center Rudy Gobert led Utah with 13 points, a career-best 18
rebounds and four blocks. Forward Gordon Hayward scored 10 for the
Jazz (14-27), who have lost eight straight games in San Antonio,
last winning in January, 2010.
Utah's 69 points were the fewest by a Spurs' opponent this season.
The Jazz shot 33.3 percent, not much better than the worst against
San Antonio this season -- 32.5 by Philadelphia.
"Defensively, we were great tonight," Parker said.
And much better than the last time they faced Utah. The Jazz scored
100 and shot 50 percent during a victory over San Antonio in Utah on
Dec. 9. The Spurs were missing Parker, Splitter and guard Patty
Mills that night, all of them injured.
Utah coach Quin Snyder said he hopes his young team learned
something Sunday from the Spurs.
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"They're the champions," said Snyder, formerly the coach of the
Spurs' D-League team in Austin. "If we can be in that classroom,
it's good for us."
The Spurs are heathier than at any time this season. Mills missed
the first 31 games after undergoing shoulder surgery. He returned
Dec. 26 and missed 12 of 13 3-point shots in his first three games.
But Mills soon heated up, befitting a guy who received a three-year,
$10 million contract during the offseason to provide offense as a
reserve. Mills has converted 18 of 37 in his next eight games,
including two against Utah.
Parker hopes the Spurs are ready to make a run that will elevate
them from seventh place in the Western Conference.
"We don't have a spot in mind," Parker said. "We just want to get a
winning streak going and then we'll see where that leaves us."
NOTES: The San Antonio Spurs signed F JaMychal Green to a 10-day
contract on Sunday. The 6-foot-8 Green was averaging 23 points and
10.9 rebounds a game for the Spurs NBA D-League team in Austin,
Texas. To make room for Green on their 15-man roster, the Spurs
waived F Austin Daye. ... Spurs F Tim Duncan and G Tony Parker won
their 657th game together against Portland on Friday, passing
Boston's Kevin McHale and Robert Parish for second place on the NBA
all-time list. Utah's Karl Malone and John Stockton are far ahead
with 906. ... Reserve G Marco Belinelli sat out for the fifth
straight game with a strained groin. ... The Utah Jazz do not rank
highly in most NBA offensive stats, but they are ninth in offensive
rebounds and seventh in second-chance points with 14.8 a game,
thanks, primarily to their young big men -- C Enes Kanter, F Derrick
Favors and C Rudy Gobert. ... Utah has signed G Elliot Williams to a
second 10-day contract. He appeared in three games during the first
one.
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