INGELWOOD — The reclamation of Kawhi Leonard continues at a slow, deliberate pace. And that’s fine for everyone involved, especially the Clippers superstar. Leonard recently returned to the lineup after missing the first 34 games this season, and the team has managed his comeback by taking it one day, one game, one box to check at a time. The final step is extended minutes. So far, Leonard has been handcuffed to playing roughly 20 minutes per game over three contests. Call it load management. Or a player going through a delayed preseason entry into the season. “I’m taking my time,” Leonard said after scoring six points on 3-for-9 shooting to go with five rebounds in 21 minutes of his third game back, a 109-98 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night. “I’ve done that in the past (playing a lot of minutes at the start) and it led me to the bench, so I’m good where I’m at.” Last year, Leonard went from zero to 68 games, playing some of his best basketball in years. He had jumped back into action at the start of the 2023-24 season with both feet, but like previous seasons, it ended with him on the bench after experiencing inflammation in his twice-surgically repaired right knee during the Clippers’ first-round playoff loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Then, less than a week before this season began, the Clippers announced Leonard was out indefinitely because of the inflammation, which led to him having a procedure on his right knee. Coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard had suffered a “setback” in July while practicing with the U.S. Olympic team ahead of the Paris Games, which led to his withdrawal. The soreness that began in April had extended into the summer and to the start of this season. But the six-time All Star is back, and his teammates say Leonard is getting close to playing at a high level. Maybe not All-Star-caliber but he is showing progress toward regaining his defensive prowess and elite shooter status. “He is just working his way into conditioning-wise, plan-wise, the game, all of the above,” fellow All-Star James Harden said. “He hadn’t had a training camp, a preseason, none of that. So, I think for us it’s just trying to make his job a lot easier to just continue to do what we’ve been doing and then slowly incorporating him into what we’re doing. “But I mean, he looks great.” Leonard, 33, is looking forward to doing more, but for now he is content to take a back seat as the team works to get back on track. The Clippers (21-15) are looking to continue righting themselves Wednesday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets (13-26) after stumbling through a 1-4 stretch before beating Miami on Monday. “I’m trying to do my job to help the team win,” said Leonard, who has totaled 26 points and 10 rebounds in 61 minutes in his three games. “That’s all I do. And yeah, I feel good. As long as I’m feeling good on the court, I’m able to move quickly, get to my spots. That’s all I’m looking for (now).” Leonard, whose recovery took months, said there is nothing he can’t do, such as defend, chase loose balls and shoot from any distance. Coach Tyronn Lue said he expects Leonard to be on a minutes restriction for a few more games. So, is he able to do pretty much everything he wants to physically, just not to the degree he has in the past? “If you want to put it that way. I’m playing in the same way that I usually play,” Leonard said, defensively. Related Articles Clippers | James Harden’s big 3rd quarter helps Clippers rally past Heat Clippers | Clippers expected to resume play Monday against Miami Clippers | NBA postpones Saturday’s Lakers-Spurs, Clippers-Hornets games due to fires Clippers | Clippers-Hornets game is on for now, but that could change Clippers | Russell Westbrook, Nuggets rout Clippers with both teams missing stars Center Ivica Zubac said there isn’t any need to worry about Leonard or his game now. “He’s good, he’s not trying (too hard), he’s trying to play in the flow of the game. He’s trying to get his legs under him and he’s just trying to fit in,” Zubac said. “So, he is doing a good job and we expect him with every game, hopefully to get five more minutes and get his legs under him and be the Kawhi that we know he is.” And if it takes another week or two? “It’s Kawhi man, one of the best players in the league, and when he gets his legs under him, he’s going to be really good,” Zubac said. NETS AT CLIPPERS When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Where: Intuit Dome TV/radio: FDSNSC/570 AM