Spurs' Kawhi Leonard: Expected to play final two games

Coach Gregg Popovich said after Saturday's loss to the Clippers that he doesn't expect Leonard or any of the team's other core players to sit out the Spurs' final two regular-season games for rest, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reports. "I'm looking forward to the next two games," Popovich said. "Nobody's going to rest. Everybody's going to play. We already rested everybody, and we have days in between (games) now. It's like the playoffs kind of. There's no back-to-backs. There's no bad travel or anything like that. So it's time for rhythm and that sort of thing. So hopefully, we'll play better next week."

Analysis:

Popovich popularized the concept of resting players in the latter stages of the regular season in order to keep them fresh for the postseason, but he'll change course on that long-held philosophy upon concluding after Saturday's loss that his team wasn't ready for the bright lights of the playoffs. While Popovich could still limit the minutes count for Leonard and the team's other starters, the fact that the star swingman will suit up the final two contests provides enough incentive for fantasy owners to keep him active. The Spurs are already locked in as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but they should get game efforts Monday from the Trail Blazers, who are still looking to secure the No. 8 seed, and Wednesday from the Jazz, who are fighting the Clippers for the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs.