Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard took part in a 5-on-5 workout on Friday, his most significant action since being shut down last month with stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said there still isn’t a timetable for Leonard’s return. He hasn’t played since Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns.

“He played 5-on 5 with some of our guys, some of the players and some of the coaches,” Lue said of the 5-on-5 session. “The first time he was able to get on the floor and play 5-on-5 and he looked pretty good. Still have a ways to go, but that was the first sign of positivity of him getting on the floor, playing 5-on-5.”

Leonard, a five-time All-Star, will miss his 10th consecutive game Saturday when the Clippers host the Brooklyn Nets.

Leonard sustained a torn ACL in his right knee in June of 2021 and missed the entire 2021-22 season. He played 21 minutes off the bench in each of his two performances this season, then reported stiffness to the Clippers at shootaround in Oklahoma City on Oct. 25.

Leonard, 31, averaged 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in the two games.

“It’s gonna take a few more (workout) opportunities to get that in,” Lue said. “Then kind of reassess him to see how he’s feeling after we go to medical and just kind of see if we check all the boxes.”

–Field Level Media

The encore could be a pretty good one between the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat.

The teams will meet Saturday for the second time in three nights on the same court at Miami.

The Hornets have lost seven games in a row, with Thursday night’s 117-112 overtime outcome among the most difficult to digest.

“We get a couple breaks, things go our way a little bit differently in overtime, it would have been a really good win” coach Steve Clifford said. “But it says everything about the character of our team.”

Charlotte battled back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, but the Heat recovered as Jimmy Butler racked up 35 points, including their last seven in regulation. Miami has won five games this season, with four of them ending with margins of seven points or less.

“I think this was important to us,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to go through the emotions and then go figure it out. Then have to mentally reset and emotionally reset to play five more minutes. I felt like it was an important win for us mentally and emotionally.”

Butler was aggressive enough to land at the free-throw line for 15 attempts, making 13.

After the Heat’s lead disappeared, Miami was forced to execute while facing a deficit. Butler had help, and it proved to be vital.

“That is how we are built,” Spoelstra said. “I think we’re starting to understand what our identity needs to be at both ends of the court. … The best way to do it is to build on these games and then you have something to review on film and have something to start to work on.”

Spoelstra said traits of Clifford-coached teams mean there are bound to be close games and certain challenges. This comes even with the Hornets playing minus key players because of injuries.

“We’ve experienced these games over the years,” Spoelstra said. “They’re going to find a way to grind back in it.”

The Hornets, in the middle game of a three-game swing in Florida, haven’t been clicking down the stretch in many games. So outscoring the Heat 31-19 in the fourth quarter might be a huge step despite the ultimate defeat.

“That’s something we can build on,” Clifford said. “I think this says everything about our team.”

Yet turnovers were devastating for the Hornets. Miami feasts on defensive opportunities and Charlotte’s adjustments are expected as the teams meet again in quick order.

“They’ve been doing it all year,” Clifford said of the Heat’s takeaways. “They’re quick, very aggressive with their hands. They’re good in the passing lanes. It’s something we’ll have to do better with on Saturday.”

“It’s part of our identity that we really want to be disruptive and get teams out of their comfort zone. It requires a big energy and a focused commitment to be active and get hands on balls. That’s our lifeblood defensively.”

It could be just the launching point for what the Heat can do on defense.

“We’re nowhere near where we want to be or where we’ll end up defensively,” Spoelstra said. “We’re starting to get there.”

With all the backcourt injuries for the Hornets, Kelly Oubre Jr. has continued to be productive in a heightened role. His 29 points and seven 3-point baskets were season highs Thursday night.

–Field Level Media

The Atlanta Hawks aim for a two-game sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers when the teams meet in Philadelphia on Saturday.

The Hawks led by as many as 20 points in a 104-95 victory over the Sixers on Thursday in Atlanta. Hawks star Trae Young scored 26 points, while center Clint Capela added 18 points with a season-high 20 rebounds.

“Our approach was like a playoff series,” Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said. “We wanted to get the first one. Now we’re greedy and want to get the second one.”

While Atlanta is off to its best start (8-4) since the 2016-17 season, Philadelphia sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 5-7 record.

The underachieving Sixers were hoping to build on Monday’s encouraging 100-88 win over the Phoenix Suns, but instead turned in a dismal effort versus Atlanta.

Philadelphia shot 38.6 percent from the field in the loss, including 6 of 30 (20 percent) from 3-point range.

The Sixers have struggled to find a rhythm without star James Harden, who missed the last three games and will be out for approximately one month with a right foot tendon strain.

One bright spot for Philadelphia against the Hawks was center Joel Embiid, who had 26 points and 13 rebounds for his second straight double-double after missing three games with the flu.

The Sixers had 17 turnovers and 15 assists against Atlanta, and coach Doc Rivers said his team needs more from point guard Tyrese Maxey.

“The lack of point guard play I thought was really clear tonight,” said Rivers. “We’re going to have to make an adjustment there.”

De’Anthony Melton could see additional time at the point, but he had three turnovers and one assist in 28 minutes against Atlanta and is shooting 25 percent over his last three games.

Maxey opened the season on a hot streak, shooting 51.6 percent from the field, including 46.8 percent from beyond the arc, in the team’s first nine games.

The third-year pro has faltered in the last three games without Harden, however, shooting 19 of 64 (29.7 percent) from the field. He scored 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting against Atlanta.

Embiid said Maxey might be overthinking in the wake of Harden’s injury.

“I told him, ‘Yeah, without James, we need you to be a point guard,” Embiid said. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking for your shot. He has to be aggressive for us to win. He has to be putting the ball up and he has to take shots. Right now, I think he’s thinking too much.”

The Sixers will need an improved effort overall to keep pace with Atlanta, which has scored at least 100 points in each of its first 12 games.

Capela is averaging 13.4 points, 16.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over his last five games while shooting 54.7 percent from the field.

“This is the Clint that we saw two years ago,” McMillan said. “This is the Clint that we need out on the floor — rebounding the basketball, defending. He’s done a really solid job in the last couple of days defending some of the top players in the league.”

–Field Level Media

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic was fined $15,000 on Friday for making an obscene gesture on the court.

The incident occurred with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Bulls lost 115-111.

Vucevic, 32, is in his 12th NBA season and third with the Bulls. He is averaging 16.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 13 games (all starts). His rebound average is third in the NBA this season.

–Field Level Media