Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals between San Antonio and Houston will only feature one MVP candidate, as Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard will watch his team try to win the series from the sideline. Leonard suffered an ankle injury in Game 5 that will keep him out of the game, according to Gregg Popovich.
Per Coach Pop, Kawhi Leonard will not play tonight
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 11, 2017
Earlier in the day, Popovich announced that Leonard would be a game-time decision, saying that holding Leonard out would give him more time to heal for a potential Game 7 and beyond. This was evident as Popovich elaborated on the decision to hold out Leonard, as he said that the team’s two-way star wanted to play on Thursday.
https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/862798550572380166
In Leonard’s place will be Jonathan Simmons, who has been a terror on the defensive end of the floor in this series. While San Antonio’s role players have been stellar – especially in the team’s Game 5 overtime victory over the Rockets – Simmons has shown why he is one of the league’s toughest defenders.
https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/862799714462437376
As for the other side of the coin, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni quipped that Leonard should sit until he’s 100 percent healthy.
Mike D'Antoni when asked about if Kawhi Leonard should sit: "I think so. … a couple games, at least."
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 11, 2017
San Antonio leads the series, 3-2, and Game 6 will take place in Houston. It is set to tip at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN. Of course, not having Leonard is huge for San Antonio, but it’s not the end of the world, as the Spurs accrued a 7-1 record in the eight games he did not play this season.
