The LA Clippers evened their Western Conference semifinal series against the Utah Jazz on Monday night at 2-2 after a 118-104 win. The win was certainly the biggest thing to come out of Monday's game, but the second biggest thing came from Kawhi Leonard.
With 1:29 remaining in the first half and the Clippers leading 60-38, Kawhi Leonard drove down the lane past Jazz forward Royce O'Neale and elevated to deliver a vicious poster dunk on center Derrick Favors. The dunk brought an alarmingly loud roar from fans inside Staples Center.
KAWHI ALL OVER DERRICK FAVORS š±š„pic.twitter.com/vxEe9ee4Sw
ā ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 15, 2021
Every angle of Kawhi Leonard's monster dunk on Derrick Favors š„pic.twitter.com/3A5KNyIYj4
ā Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 15, 2021
Within seconds, social media blew up with reactions to Leonard's monster dunk. Even Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was in the middle of his postgame press conference, took time out to acknowledge Leonard's play live.
āI just felt like I didn't feel like I had it tonight and of course you can kind of ā Oh! You see that?ā Embiid said. āYou see that Kawhi dunk? Wow ābut you can say in the beginning of the game, it was tough.ā
Joel Embiid reacts to the Kawhi Leonard poster dunk midway through his postgame presser špic.twitter.com/8b9WIYj2BD
ā Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 15, 2021
Kawhi Leonard was asked after the game if he recognized how much a dunk like the one he had can set social media and the rest of the internet ablaze. In true Kawhi fashion, he didn't.
āI mean, I don't get to see the reaction of what's on the web or social media,ā Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said when told of how social media blew up in response to his dunk. āZu showed me a clip of Embiid talking. That's the only thing I got from it. But during the game, I know it's a big play, but got to have that next-play mentality because right after that, I think Joe Ingles came down and hit a three pretty wide open in that corner. We've still got room for improvement.ā
"I don't get to see the reaction of what's on the web or social media. But Zubac showed me a clip of Embiid talkingā¦ During the game, I know it's a big play, but gotta have that next play mentality."
Kawhi Leonard on his poster dunk. #Clippers pic.twitter.com/sUwgs8ycCs
ā Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 15, 2021
It's safe to say Leonard's dunk is something Derrick Favors likely won't forget anytime soon. But hey, at least he can join Maxi Kleber as two players who have been eviscerated by Leonard's monster dunks.
The pivotal Game 5 between the Clippers and Jazz is set for Wednesday night at 7PM PST.
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