"The vibe is back": Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reviews Kawhi Leonard’s return and James Harden’s play during his absence (EXCLUSIVE)
Despite playing limited minutes in a reserve role, LA Clippers forward/center Nicolas Batum appeared in high spirits.
That’s because he cares more about Kawhi Leonard’s return and the Clippers’ double-digit win over the Atlanta Hawks. With the Clippers (20-15) entering Monday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves (17-17) in sixth place in the Western Conference, Batum and his teammates appeared in high spirits after their latest win.
“The vibe is back to where it’s supposed to be,” Batum told reporters. “This is my role for now, for sure. It’s cool, though, because you can see the excitement when we came out of the tunnel. People are happy. That’s why he is who he is. He’s one of the best. It was great to have him back.”
Batum also spoke to Sportskeeda more about Leonard, who had 12 points while shooting 4-for-11 overall and 3-for-5 from deep after missing the first 34 games with right knee inflammation. Batum also shared his impressions on James Harden’s play before Leonard’s return.
Editor’s note: The following one-on-one interview has been edited and condensed
What were your impressions of Kawhi’s first game?
Nicolas Batum: “Nothing crazy. He didn’t force anything. He’s too good for that. He’s going to let the game come to him. Then he’ll see the right opportunity to attack. He did that. It’s the first game. I wasn’t expecting him to get 30 [points]. But with the way he played and the way he took his shots and he attacked and he played defense, we’ll be fine.”
On the other hand, what did the group do to adapt playing with Kawhi?
Nicolas Batum: “It’s always going to be an adjustment for a couple of games. Maybe two or three games. When you have a guy like him, it’s different. The same thing for T Mann [Terance Mann] as well. Those are two guys that came back at the same time. It’s going to be an adjustment. But it’s going to make us a better team and we’ll win games.”
What was Kawhi like in the practice sessions before his return?
Nicolas Batum: “When he started practicing five-on-five with us the last two weeks, we knew he was coming. We knew once we started playing five-on-five and he was out there playing with us and scrimmaging and stuff like that, you knew it was coming.
"We didn’t know which day, but we knew for the last two or three weeks that he was coming back soon. He was practicing in playing pick-up games and playing five-on-five. We were bringing him back to get his rhythm back. It was nothing crazy.”
When you all entered the season knowing Kawhi would be out for a significant period of time, what were your expectations on what the group could do while he’s out?
Nicolas Batum: “Sometimes you just have to not think about it. This is the group we have, so we just had to go out there and get a win. Until he’s back, we had to put ourselves in the best position. We did that. Now we have him back, and we’re in the top six. That’s good.”
Has this matched what you expected?
Nicolas Batum: “As a group, yes. I think outside this door, maybe not. People didn’t expect us to be that high. But for us, yes we did.”
Now that Kawhi is back and you’re sixth in the West, where do you think you all can get to in this crowded landscape?
Nicolas Batum: “We’ll see. This is the NBA. So it’s a crazy business. We have him back, but we’re still in the West. The West is crazy. It’s going to be tough. But we will do what we have to do.”
Before Kawhi’s return, what did Harden do to keep the team afloat?
Nicolas Batum: “Who’s the last American to get MVP. Him. This is nothing new to him. We know as a team who he is. Until Kawhi came back, James had to be the No. 1 guy. He’s stepping up. Norm’s stepping up. Zu’s having a great season. But James is our guy. It’s just the trust he has toward everybody. If you don’t shoot the ball, he’ll tell you, You’re here for a reason. We trust you.
How did you see James figure out when it was best to look for his own or get others involved?
Nicolas Batum: “He’s going to put you in a good position. When he has the ball, he’s going to initiate the offense. He’s going to find you. If you’re open, he’s going to find you. And he’s going to shoot it sometimes. We can’t really rely on him to with the way he’ was playing in Houston.
"When you’re open, he’ll get you a good shot. You have to take it because it might be the best shot. He’s going to give you the ball because he trusts everybody on this team. He’s been doing a good job so far this year.”
What has his leadership been like?
Nicolas Batum: “He’s been very vocal at practice, shootarounds and video [sessions]. He’s the one talking and asking questions to the coaching staff and to every guy. He’s trying to understand stuff. This is nothing new. I already knew how great of a player he was and still is. He’s a good leader, and he wants to win.”
What did you see him do to handle the heavier workload without Kawhi and to play in almost every game?
Nicolas Batum: “He doesn’t miss games. He doesn’t miss practices. He’s out there getting treatment. You don’t become that good and play that good for so long and be on the court for 35 minutes a game if you’re not doing the right stuff. And he’s doing it.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.