Los Angeles @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 11, 2019 ) Toronto 88, L.A. Clippers 98

Kawhi Leonard makes his return to Toronto when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Raptors on Wednesday. Leonard was NBA Finals MVP while leading the Raptors to the title last season and then departed as a free agent and signed with the Clippers.

Leonard missed Monday's 110-99 victory over the Indiana Pacers due to left knee soreness but is expected to play against Toronto. Leonard will likely be greeted warmly and the Raptors have scheduled a pregame ceremony to present Leonard with his NBA championship ring but the Los Angeles star is trying to keep his mind on business. "I'll be thinking about just playing against the team and wanting to win the game, for the most part," Leonard told The Athletic of playing the Raptors in Toronto. "Just really getting my ring that night. ... We're there for one reason: to play the Raptors and try to win the game." Toronto has been in a funk and snapped a season-long three-game losing streak by squeaking past the host Chicago Bulls 93-92 on Monday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), TSN (Toronto)

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (18-7): Leonard was double-teamed nearly the entire game when Los Angeles recorded a 98-88 home victory over Toronto on Nov. 11 and he committed nine turnovers and scored just 12 points on 2-of-11 shooting. Forward Paul George missed the first matchup as he was still recovering from offseason surgeries on both shoulders but he has scored 25 or more points in four of the past five games, including 36 points against the Pacers, one of his former teams. Reserve power forward Montrezl Harrell added 26 points and scored 20 or more in four of the last five contests.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (16-7): Point guard Kyle Lowry and coach Nick Nurse are among the people expecting Leonard to get an extended standing ovation during the pregame ceremony. "I would imagine that our fans are going to give him an amazing ovation," Nurse told reporters. "If they give him one-fifteenth of what they gave us on opening night, it's still going to be something. It was really amazing the night we got ours." Power forward Pascal Siakam scored 22 points in the victory over the Bulls as Toronto avoided a fourth straight loss when Chicago's Zach LaVine missed a runner just before time expired.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Raptors won six of the past 10 meetings.

2. Los Angeles SG Lou Williams scored a game-high 21 points in the first meeting while Siakam scored 16 to lead Toronto.

3. Toronto G Fred VanVleet (knee) could miss his second straight game but Nurse said an MRI exam showed no structural damage.

PREDICTION: Raptors 103, Clippers 101