James Harden scores 41 points in 31 minutes as the Clippers outplay the Jazz

Kawhi Leonard walked past the media in the Clippers’ locker room with a plate of food in his hand and appeared to be in a good mood. He even spoke to the media – however brief it was.

“What’s up?” Leonard said. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

What’s actually going on with Leonard and when will he make his season debut after missing the first 27 games of the season with a right knee injury?

Before the Clippers’ 144-107 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night at the Intuit Dome, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was asked about the team’s practice plans for Leonard and whether he would join them on their upcoming trip to Dallas and Memphis.

“Um, I’m not sure about traveling right now,” Lue said. “It hasn’t been decided yet. So we’ll see what happens after tonight, tomorrow, to get a chance to reconsider everything and move on after tomorrow, so to speak. Look what happens.”

The Clippers, where James Harden scored 41 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including seven-for-11 on three-pointers against the Jazz, face the Mavericks on Thursday and Saturday. The Clippers end their road trip against Memphis on December 23rd.

Lue was asked how Leonard had progressed after the forward took part in two non-contact training sessions last week.

“Very good progress made,” Lue said, “yes, very good progress.”

So is Leonard close to returning, perhaps in the next three or four games or a few weeks?

“I’m not sure,” Lue said.

Lue was then asked who might know the answer and laughed before saying that Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, would be the one to ask.

“You talk to them,” Lue said. “You’re trying to get me in trouble, man.”

Lue was told that reporters didn’t want to make false assumptions about Leonard’s possible return timeline.

“And I don’t want to say the wrong thing,” Lue said, laughing. “Well, I don’t know.”

But Lue offered room for optimism.

“There’s a chance he could travel,” Lue said. “That’s not decided yet, so we’ll find out.”

Leonard last played in the playoffs against the Mavericks in April.

He trained with USA Basketball in Las Vegas in July, but was ultimately sent home and did not compete in the Paris Olympics.

Leonard averaged 23.7 points per game with a team-best 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season. He shot 52.5% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are moving on without Leonard, who watched the game from the bench on his bobblehead night.

Harden said it was “great” to have Leonard back at practice.

“I think we’ll be more excited to have him there for a full workout,” Harden said. “We don’t really have contact training, but when we do it’s just contact training and then games. So he slowly makes his way back to the field and takes his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”

And in a game where the Clippers tied their season high, it was Harden who made major strides, becoming the ninth player in franchise history to have multiple games with more than 40 points in a single season.

Harden scored 24 points in the first quarter, the second-most points scored in a single quarter in Clippers history. In the quarter he was 6-for-9 from the field, 5-for-7 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

His work helped the Clippers to an 81-47 halftime lead, the most points they have scored in a half this season.

Harden said he felt his game was on point “from the start” and that’s why he continued the attack.

“I always feel like that,” he said. “It’s just different when you’re recording. If you don’t, take it easy. But yeah, I’m just happy to win the game. I was happy that the boys got back into the win column.”