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Logistics largely played a part in his absence. He was …
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- Logistics largely played a part in his absence. He was …
The last time Blazers fans saw him in the Moda Center, they loved him. It was Game 4 of the 2019 Western Conference finals, and Leonard was erupting for 25 points … in the first half. The sellout crowd chanted his name so loudly that he had to bow his head to hide the tears welling in his eyes. He finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime loss. The season was over. He hasn't been back since. Logistics largely played a part in his absence. He was traded to Miami months after the conference finals, and he did not make the Heat trips to Portland in 2020 (ankle surgery) and 2021 (league suspension for using an antisemitic slur during a video game stream). In 2022, he was without a team while recovering from another ankle surgery, and by the time he signed with Milwaukee in his final NBA season (2022-23), the Bucks had made their only trip to Portland .
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Logistics largely played a part in his absence. He was …
