Kawhi Leonard to start for Spurs in debut after missing 27 games

San-Antonio-Spurs-forward-Kawhi-Leonard-(2)-takes-a-shot-over-Houston-Rockets'-Ryan-Anderson-(3)-as-Trevor-Ariza-(1)-defends-during-the-second-half-of-Game-2-in-a-second-round-NBA-basketball-playoff-series,-Wednesday,-May-3,-2017,-in-San-Antonio.-(Eric-Gay/AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) takes a shot over Houston Rockets' Ryan Anderson (3) as Trevor Ariza (1) defends during the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay/AP)

DALLAS — San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard will start in his season debut Tuesday night at Dallas after missing 27 games with a quadriceps injury.

Leonard has been recovering from right quadriceps tendinopathy, a condition that causes pain and weakness in the knee. He last played in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals last season, when he injured his left ankle. Golden State swept the series on the way to the NBA title.

The 26-year-old Leonard averaged a career-best 25.5 points last season and was a contender for the MVP award that went to Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook. He is a two-time defensive player of the year.

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