A bloody Kawhi Leonard was forced to leave the LA Clippers game against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter on Friday night after a collision with a teammate left him needing eight holes to treat a broken mouth.
Serge Ibaka rose to a defensive rebound when his elbow hit Leonard’s mouth, sending the Clippers’ All-Star to the floor immediately. Leonard bled from his mouth when he was treated to the floor before being helped back into the locker room with 6:07 of play.
When Paul George saw a bloody Leonard on the floor, he was very worried.
“Really worried,” George said. “I was thinking of the worst. I didn’t know if he was crushed or how hard he was hit [it was] or what actually happened because I didn’t see her. I just saw him sitting on the ground. It was first of all, just making sure it was okay. “
Without Leonard, the Clippers got some revenge, holding on to a big advantage in the second half and defeating the Nuggets 121-108 in Denver. The Nuggets previously beat the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs last season, after LA brought a 3-1 lead.
“Nothing was said,” coach Ty Lue said when asked what the Clippers said to stay calm without Leonard. “You know, the next man up. We know Kawhi is a great player. We have to think that if he goes down, everyone has to be able to step up.”
Leonard left Friday’s game with the Clippers 108-97. He had 21 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals in 30 minutes.
“I didn’t even see her,” Lue said after the game, while Leonard was being evaluated. “… He’ll be fine. He got up and got off the floor, so he’s good.”
Clippers striker Nicolas Batum said he spoke to Leonard after the game and said the All-Star looked fine.
“You don’t want a player, no player, [to] it goes down so bloodily on him and all over the floor, “Batum said.” I think it’s good. I just saw him in the locker room, he was fine and that was kind of scary at the moment. “