Kawhi Leonard is in no rush to break free of the minutes restriction he’s been playing under since making his season debut recently.

“I’m taking my time,” the Los Angeles Clippers superstar said. “I done that in the past and it led me on the bench, so I’m good where I’m at.”

Leonard had six points on 3-for-9 shooting and five rebounds in 21 minutes of his third game, a 109-98 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter of a game in which the Clippers trailed by 13 early.

“Happy we got the win,” he said. “Good team win.”

The Clippers are 21-17 and sixth in the West.

“I’m just playing really and trying to do my job to help the team win,” Leonard said.

Leonard has totaled 26 points and 10 rebounds in 61 minutes over the three games. The two-time NBA Finals MVP started the season late while needing time to rehabilitate and strengthen his surgically repaired right knee that ended his previous few seasons early.

“I feel good and as long as I’m feeling good on the court, I’m able to move quickly, get to my spots,” he said. “That’s all I’m looking for.”

Leonard’s teammates are working to slowly incorporate him into what they built over the early part of the season. They were 19-15 before he came back.

“He’s just working his way into conditioning-wise, playing-wise, flow of the game, like all of the above,” James Harden said. “He hadn’t had a training camp, preseason, none of that, so for us it’s just trying to make his job a lot easier.”

The Clippers provided few and typically vague updates on Leonard’s progress over the early part of the season, when he didn’t speak to media.

“Kawhi is one of the best players in the league,” center Ivica Zubac said. “When he gets his legs under him and rhythm, he’s going to be really good.”

Leonard didn’t play at Denver last week after wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area. He left the team to return to his family.

“Just trying to get the family in order, making sure that everybody is settled and safe,” he said.

Asked if his house was OK, Leonard responded, “As we know everybody is not OK. You seen the houses burn down, so it’s self-explanatory.”

CAVALIERS 127, PACERS 117 >> Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points and NBA-leading Cleveland beat host Indiana.

Darius Garland scored 24 points and Evan Mobley added 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers.

Pascal Siakam scored 23 points and Bennedict Mathurin 19 for the Pacers, who had their six-game winning streak halted. Myles Turned added 17 points.

HAWKS 122, SUNS 117 >> Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points and host Atlanta overcame Devin Booker’s 35 points to beat Phoenix and snap the Suns’ three-game winning streak.

Kevin Durant scored 14 of his 31 points in the third quarter for Phoenix (19-20), which lost for the 11th straight time in Atlanta. Durant added nine rebounds.

The Suns are still looking for their first win in Atlanta since March 24, 2014.

The Hawks (20-19) were without forwards De’Andre Hunter (left foot soreness), Larry Nance Jr. (right hand) and Jalen Johnson (right shoulder inflammation), who missed his fourth consecutive game.

THUNDER 118, 76ERS 102 >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Jalen Williams had 24 to lead visiting Oklahoma City to a win over a Philadelphia team missing three All-Stars.

Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George sat out with injuries as the Sixers continued their slide down the Eastern Conference standings.

The Thunder built a 21-point lead and have won 18 of 19 games headed into Thursday’s rematch against Cleveland in a matchup of teams with the best records in each conference.

With the stars out, Justin Edwards led the 76ers with 25 points, and Jeff Dowtin Jr. had 18.