Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard in concussion protocol, out vs. Warriors

SAN ANTONIO — Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard has entered the league’s concussion protocol and will not play in Saturday’s pivotal game against the Golden State Warriors.

The team said Friday it would provide updates as appropriate.

Leonard suffered an apparent head injury on Thursday night, late in the third quarter of the Spurs’ 102-92 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the game that he wasn’t sure what had happened to his All-Star forward.

“He got hit in the mouth or the cheek or the head or something. I’m not sure which. So the trainer thought he should sit,” Popovich said.

Leonard knocked down a pair of free throws at the 2:29 mark of the third quarter, before walking off the court to the locker room with a trainer only to never return to the floor. The club originally anticipated that Leonard would not go into the NBA’s concussion protocol but changed course after performing additional evaluations.

Leonard’s injury came during a contest that a few Spurs described as “chippy” due to the physicality between the teams throughout.

The loss of Leonard comes at an inopportune time, as the Spurs hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and sit two games behind Golden State with a chance to gain ground when the teams meet on Saturday at the AT&T Center with the…