As the two teams battled in overtime on May 9, the Spurs were up 110-107.
"Yeah, I'm going to be able to play", Leonard told reporters after playing 38 minutes, scoring 22 points and 15 rebounds.
The Spurs were unable to cut into the lead after that and both teams had mostly backups on the court by the midpoint of the period with the game out of hand.
The Spurs had a choice at the end of Game 5 in their National Basketball Association playoff series vs. the Rockets: Foul or defend.
Here is the overtime lineup the Spurs deployed to begin their most critical five-minute stretch since Tim Duncan retired: two former NBA Development League players (Jonathon Simmons, Danny Green), an alum of the Chinese League (Mills), a 39-year-old man (Ginobili) and an out-of-sorts LaMarcus Aldridge.
So far in the series against the Rockets, Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, while playing almost 36 minutes per night.
The Rockets, who had looked lost in Game 2 on the road and Game 3 at home, stormed back to claim a 125-104 win in Game 4 on Sunday in Houston to tie the series. He says he will play in Game 6. He also hit what COULD have been the game-winning buzzer beater at the end of regulation, only to see the shot get waived off and then witness Gregg Popovich absolutely rinse Pau Gasol. Harden had his first triple-double of the series, leading all scorers with 33 points while taking 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. The Houston Rockets are averaging 111.4 points on 45.3 percent shooting and allowing 105.3 points on 45.2 percent shooting.
Ginobili lifts Kawhi-less Spurs to overtime win against Rockets
Murray started the last two games after Tony Parker suffered a postseason-ending ruptured left quadriceps tendon in Game 2 . However, I had the Rockets winning this series before it began, and they've outplayed the Spurs for the most part.
Leonard came back into the game with 2:59 remaining in the fourth, and assisted on Patty Mills' 3-pointer on his first offensive possession since returning.
The Houston Rockets ran out of gas at a vital time during their second round series against the San Antonio Spurs.
The other factor that swung the game San Antonio's way was the turnovers.
The win puts the Spurs on the brink of the Western Conference finals - and a date with the Golden State Warriors. The betting line was just 5.5 points in Game 5 in favor of the Spurs, and an ineffective Leonard Thursday night will probably mean the series will conclude with a deciding seventh game. Game 4 marked Houston's second win by 20-plus points this series and its third of this postseason, the first time the Rockets have won multiple games by 20 or more points in a playoff series and in a single postseason in franchise history. A ideal opportunity to tie the game: Houston's best player, with what appeared to be a clean look from the three-point line.
When Kawhi Leonard went to the bench with an ankle injury, Ginobili became part of the closeout group again. "We're going to continue to need that from him, especially since we don't know what's going to happen with Kawhi".
Game 5 between the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night featured 14 lead changes before eventually being decided in overtime.
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