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SPURS GAMEDAY: Christmas spirit aside, look for Leonard to get another cold reception at AT&T Center

Silver and Black host Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers for second time this season.

Los Angeles Clippers (21-9) vs. Spurs (11-16) 

When, where: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center

All-time series record: Spurs lead 129-43

Last season: Series tied 2-2

Season series: Tied 1-1 

Last meeting: Spurs 107, Clippers 97, Nov. 29, AT&T Center

Clippers' last game: Lost to Houston Rockets 122-117, Thursday, Los Angeles

Spurs' last game: Beat Brooklyn Nets 118-105, Thursday, AT&T Center

Clippers' last 10 games/streak: 7-3, lost one

Spurs' last 10 games/streak: 5-5, won one

Clippers' injury/inactive report: Amir Coffey (G League), out; JaMychal Green (tailbone; tailbone contusion), questionable; Terance Mann (G League), out; Johnathan Motley (G League), out.

Spurs' injury/inactive report: Forward Drew Eubanks (G League), out; guard/forward Keldon Johnson (G League), out; forward Luke Samanic (G League), out; guard Quindarry Weatherspoon (G League), out.

Notable: Saturday night's game will be the last at home before Christmas for the Spurs, who play at Memphis on Monday and at Dallas on Thursday. The Silver and Black host the Detroit Pistons next Saturday.  The Silver and Black are 1-1 against the Clippers this season . . . San Antonio is 7-15 since starting the season 4-1. The Spurs began the season 3-0 before losing to the Clippers 103-97 on Oct. 31 in Los Angeles. 

GAME PREVIEW

SAN ANTONIO – 'Tis the season to be merry but don't expect Spurs fans to be in a good mood when they see Kawhi Leonard playing with the visiting team Saturday night.

Leonard, a former All-NBA forward with the Silver and Black, is expected to get another raucous ovation at the AT&T Center when he takes the floor with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Fans have booed and jeered Leonard in his two previous games in San Antonio since getting traded to the Toronto Raptors in July 2018. Called the future face of the Spurs franchise by coach Gregg Popovich, Leonard missed all but nine games of the 2017-18 season with a mysterious quad injury.

The diagnosis of the injury and subsequent rehabilitation led to a rift between the franchise and Leonard, who played seven seasons with the Spurs, A two-time All-NBA pick and former Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard was named Finals MVP when San Antonio won its last title in 2014.

Leonard sent shock waves through the NBA in mid-June 2018 when reports surfaced that he wanted out of San Antonio. After months of acrimony, Leonard was traded to Toronto.

The blockbuster deal also sent starting Spurs guard Danny Green to the Raptors for All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, 7-foot center Jakob Poeltl and a protected first-round pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Leonard helped lead Toronto to its first NBA championship last season and signed with the Clippers in July. Led by Leonard and All-Star forward Paul George, who jumped from Oklahoma City to the Clippers in the offseason, the Clippers (21-9) are considered among the favorites to win the NBA title this season.

"It's going to be a tough one," Spurs guard Derrick White said. "Obviously, they've got a lot of talent. We're going to have to be ready to go for 48 minutes, and try to be locked into the game plan for the whole time."

Credit: Photo by Antonio Morano bit.ly/XR79FT / Special to KENS5.com
DeMar DeRozan, going up for a shot against Nets center Jarrett Allen on Dec. 19, leads the Spurs in scoring (20.9) and assists (4.9) through 30 games.

Leonard is 2-2 against the Spurs, with both losses coming at the AT&T Center. The Silver and Black rolled to a 125-107 victory against the Raptors on Jan. 3, and beat the Clippers 107-97 on Nov. 29. The Spurs started the season 3-0 before losing to the Clippers 103-97 on Oct. 31 in L.A.

White was asked if he thought the energy in the AT&T is different when Leonard comes to town.

"Any time you have a top player in the NBA, I feel that the energy is just a little bit different," White said. "You can just go to the top 10 guys and it's going to be different. They're great. They have a lot of great players. If we want to be competitive, we have to be ready to go from jump."

DeRozan had the first career triple-double in the Spurs' first game against Leonard last season, finishing with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.

"I wouldn't say it's any different" playing against Leonard, DeRozan said. "It's hard to ask me, being in the league for so long. You treat it like another game. You don't see anything too special, too extravagant. You just go out and be ready for another game.

"Maybe fans, people on the outside, have a different perspective. But for us, we approach it like it's another big game."

Credit: Photo by Antonio Morano bit.ly/XR79FT / Special to KENS5.com
Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray, going up for a basket against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, has started the team's last three games.

The Spurs (11-16) are coming off a 118-105 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night. Sparked by reserve guard Patty Mills, the Silver and Black rallied from a 14-point deficit and overcame a 41-point game by guard Spencer Dinwiddie to beat the Nets.

The winning margin of 13 points was the biggest for San Antonio since a 127-110 victory against Golden State on Nov. 1.

Mills nailed 7 of 10 three-pointers and scored 27 points off the bench, leading the Silver and Black to their 17th consecutive win over the Nets in San Antonio.

"He's the most professional guy that you could have on your team and in the locker room," DeRozan said of Mills. "He epitomizes the culture here, so having that guy out there understanding what needs to be done on nights like this, that's when it shows."

Murray also had good things to say about Mills, who is the longest-tenured Spur on the current roster.

"He's everything," Murray said. "I have never seen him with attitude in the four years I've been here. Not an attitude, not head down. He's a real pro and you know I really appreciate him a lot."

The Spurs have won five of their last eight games after losing 10 of 11, including eight straight.

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