His minutes restriction hasn’t been lifted but things are beginning to return to normal for Leonard, who averaged 23.2 points and 35 minutes in four games during the trip, with Lue acknowledging that Leonard is playing essentially his normal amount.

“As far as explosiveness, I don’t think that’s all the way back yet or as far as trusting it all the way right now,” Lue said, “but just his decision-making, his timing of getting to his spots and getting to his shot and I think his timing of making passes when teams are double-teaming, making the right read in the right play, that’s really good.”

After 17 third-quarter points against the Pacers, Leonard said he was “still moving up the right track, feeling healthy still, and that’s what it’s about.”

Lue plans to continue staggering Leonard‘s and George’s minutes. It’s a defensive boon, but presents an offensive challenge, too, Lue said, of still allowing the offense to play through Powell and Kennard.

On the road trip the Clippers had varying levels of success handling blitzes against Leonard and George in Philadelphia, Toronto, and Boston before doing a “way better job” with spacing and passing out of double teams against Indiana, in Lue’s estimation.

The tactics led Leonard and George to pass at much higher rates than their season average — in Leonard’s case, more than double — during the trip.

“It’s just a compliment to me just seeing that” onslaught of double teams and blitzes,” Leonard said. “It means I’m doing a great job of either getting to my spots or making plays for my teammates.”