'It was great' - LA Clippers' Kawhi Leonard makes long-awaited return from injury in preseason win over Portland Trail Blazers

SEATTLE — After waiting 476 days to return to action, Kawhi Leonard needed only 15 seconds to launch and drill a 3-pointer again.

In his first game in 15-plus months, Leonard began his return to the court by hitting his first shot from behind the arc before finishing with 11 points and four rebounds in the Clippers' 102-97 preseason win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena on Monday night

«It was great,» Leonard said of playing again for the first time since tearing his right ACL in Game 4 of the Clippers' second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on June 14, 2021. «Just being able to put all that hard work that I did throughout the, 14, 16 months, just able to put it to test and playing against NBA talent, it was good.

»Just being out there with the guys and talking, I missed it. It was a great experience for me."

Leonard played only 16 minutes, all in the first half, as Clippers coach Ty Lue opted to only play his starters one half. That same script also applied to point guard John Wall, who made his own return from a year off and had five points and three assists off the bench.

The Clippers played their second straight game in Seattle after beating Israel's Maccabi Ra'Anana on Friday. But this game felt like a little more than a normal preseason game because of Leonard's return and Wall's debut — plus the Seattle-flavored crowd.

With the NBA back in town, Seattle basketball came out in full force with Lenny Wilkens, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, Jamal Crawford and Sam Perkins among those in attendance as fans chanted «Sonics» several times.

For the Clippers, seeing Leonard — who also had two assists and a pair of steals — back on the floor again was something they've