The new era of the Toronto Raptors is off to a blazing start. With Kawhi Leonard back in town, Toronto completely dominated their first opponent of the season, the Chicago Bulls. While Leonard's return was welcomed by fans, his performance to start the season wasn't quite up to his usual standards.
In his first game back with the Raptors, Leonard played rather poorly. He shot just 5-of-17 from the field and struggled to shoot after an incredible first half. While it was a bit disappointing for the home crowd, the star forward reassured fans that he'll be back to peak condition in no time. He didn't give a specific timeline for his return, but he simply said, “You can't rush greatness.”
“You can’t rush greatness,” Leonard said, per Josh Lewenberg. “You know, whenever the medical (staff) thinks I could push forward and I’m feeling great, whatever numbers we’re looking at, or they’re looking at, then that’s when that time will come. I was just happy to be out there and do the best I can with my minutes.”
It was clear that Leonard's legs weren't quite under him yet in the first game of the season. The Raptors star was able to get to his favorite spots on the court, but his shots weren't quite falling. Leonard was also visibly gassed in the final quarter of the game, starting to slow down. Despite that, his impact was still felt on the court. Most of Leonard's 23 points came from the free-throw line, bullying the younger Bulls players to draw fouls.
Article Continues BelowLeonard's impact was also felt on the defensive end. The Raptors' defensive identity this season is built upon their swarming defense, and Leonard had a huge hand in their game plan… literally. Leonard recorded four steals on the night, joining Toronto's turnover-forcing spree.
Even with Leonard still not at peak strength, the Raptors already look like one of the toughest opponents in the league.