NBA fines Clippers $50K over Kawhi-related
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[November 08, 2019]
The NBA fined the Los Angeles
Clippers $50,000 on Thursday for comments made about Kawhi Leonard
and his injury status.
On Wednesday, the league said it accepted the Clippers plan to sit
Leonard, who was listed on the injury report with an ailing knee, in
the first of back-to-back games. He did not play in a 129-124 loss
to the Milwaukee Bucks - a game that was nationally televised by
ESPN.
But a remark later made by coach Doc Rivers caught the attention of
the NBA.
"I think Kawhi made a statement that he's never felt better. It's
our job to make sure he stays that way. That's important. But he
played a lot of minutes in the playoffs last year," Rivers said.
"So, it's not, uh, a health thing really. It is in some ways. We
want him to just keep feeling better and getting better."
In a statement announcing the fine on Thursday, the league said it
continued to believe that Leonard has an injury but questioned
Rivers' remarks.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Nov/08/images/ads/current/ldn_more4_121715.png)
"Following additional review of the LA Clippers not playing Kawhi
Leonard in last night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA
has confirmed that the team's decision to sit Leonard for management
of an injury was consistent with league rules," the statement read.
"The team has reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from
an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee and has
been placed by the team at this time on an injury protocol for
back-to-back games.
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![](../images/110819pics/sports55.jpg)
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) against
the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit:
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Mar/14/images/ads/current/tires250x300.gif)
"The NBA has fined the Clippers $50,000 for statements, including by
head coach Doc Rivers, that were inconsistent with Leonard's health
status."
The Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night on
TNT, and Leonard is expected to play. The forward, who signed as a
free agent with the Clippers in the offseason, has yet to play both
games of a back-to-back this season and last played in a set in
April 2017, when he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs.
Leonard played in just nine games for the Spurs in 2017-18 due to a
quadriceps injury and played in just 60 of 82 regular-season games
for the Toronto Raptors last season.
--Field Level Media
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