Kawhi Leonard's Current Knee Issue Reportedly Stems From Last Season's Quad Injury

Kawhi Leonard has been a hero for the Raptors, averaging 30.9 points per game this postseason. He has been making his claim for the best player in the world with incredible play on both ends of the floor. On top of it all, he's doing it while injured.

Leonard has been bothered by his left knee, which flared up during the series against the Bucks. While his injury could seem like just a result of his heavy minutes, recent reports suggest the issue is linked to his right quad injury from last season, which kept him out most of the year.

Remember that little issue? The one that resulted in his divorce from the Spurs? San Antonio's front office believed that Leonard was healthy and cleared for play, but Leonard disagreed and continued to sit out.

Many fans had heavily criticized Leonard for forcing his way out of the franchise that developed him and helped him win a championship, but it's starting to seem like he was right to take precautions. The numerous games he sat out during the regular season for "load management" seem pretty important now that he's playing 40 minutes a game in the NBA Finals.

The Klaw has always been known for his defensive dominance, but this season he has also been the Raptors' only consistent scoring threat. He'll need these next few days off to rest the knee and be ready for Game 3.