NBA notebook: Spurs' Leonard won't return Thursday

Leonard and the Spurs had reportedly circled Thursday's game against the New
Orleans Pelicans as the return date from his quad injury, but multiple reports
on Tuesday indicated those plans were being scrapped.

The two-time All-Star forward has played in only nine games this season
because of the injury, and he has missed the Spurs' last 23 games since his
last appearance on Jan. 13 in a 112-80 rout of Denver in which he had 19
points and eight rebounds.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Monday that he would discuss the situation
with Leonard on Tuesday and did not put any timetable on his return.

--Los Angeles Clippers guard Avery Bradley is expected to miss six to eight
weeks after undergoing surgery to repair adductor and rectus abdominus
muscles, the team announced.

The recovery timeline will keep Bradley out for the remainder of the regular
season, though he potentially could return if the Clippers make the
postseason. Los Angeles enters play Tuesday at 36-29, good for the seventh
seed in the Western Conference. The Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio
Spurs are all right behind at 37-30.

Bradley, 27, joined the Clippers in January as part of the Blake Griffin trade
with the Detroit Pistons. He's averaged 9.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8
assists in six games with Los Angeles and hasn't played since Feb. 14 due to a
sports hernia.

--Orlando Magic leading scorer Aaron Gordon will miss his third consecutive
game after failing to pass the NBA's concussion protocol.

The 22-year-old power forward won't be suited up against the Spurs after an
independent NBA-appointed physician didn't clear him Tuesday morning.

Gordon, who averages 18.3 points, suffered his second concussion of the season
in last Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. He finished that
contest but began experiencing concussion-like symptoms later that night. He
was placed in the protocol on Thursday and missed the next two games.

--Field Level Media