NBA Notes: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, Bulls, Jazz, Jaden Springer

Clippers

Kawhi Leonard refused to focus on his personal performance after the Clippers’ 108-102 road loss to the Lakers on Sunday night.

Despite a season-high 33 points and 10 rebounds, Leonard downplayed the significance of his individual achievements, emphasizing the team’s ongoing struggles since the All-Star break.

“It’s not about individual accolades,” Leonard told reporters. “We got to get a team win… we got to limit our mistakes.”

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue praised Leonard’s effort, particularly his four offensive rebounds and overall play. “When he’s trusting, he’s going to the offensive glass… that’s what I kind of look at when I gauge how Kawhi is playing,” Lue said.

The Clippers have lost five of their last six games, leaving them tied with the Warriors at 32-28 in the Western Conference standings. They are closely pursued by the Timberwolves, Kings, and Mavericks for the final guaranteed playoff spot.

The Clippers struggled through a poor second quarter, failing to score for the final 7:35 and falling behind by 13 points at halftime. They trailed by as much as 21 points in the third but fought back in the fourth, with Leonard scoring 10 points, including a three-pointer to cut the deficit to five with 1:40 left. However, the Clippers didn’t score again.

“We got down 21 tonight. I liked our fight to come back,” Lue said.

Bulls

Shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu will undergo season-ending surgery due to a shoulder issue, the Bulls announced. Dosunmu, 25, missed three games before returning Friday against Toronto, where he scored 11 points in 23 minutes. Despite his return, he was still not fully recovered.

In his fourth NBA season, Dosunmu has averaged 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, with a true shooting percentage of 58.5%. He is making $7 million this season and is under contract for $7.5 million next season.

Jazz

The Jazz have signed Jaden Springer to a three-year deal, securing the young guard for the long term after he initially joined the team on a 10-day contract following the All-Star Break, as we relayed here.

The 22-year-old has impressed with his strong defensive play in his early performances with the Jazz, offering the team another promising talent to develop.

Springer expressed his gratitude for the opportunity in an interview with Ben Anderson of KSL Sports.

“Shoutout to this team for believing in me, taking that chance, and bringing me along on this team,” he said. “Thank God for the opportunity, but it feels like there’s a lot more work to do. Still got the rest of this season, got to finish this off strong, keep working, and keep getting better with these guys.”