Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been part of two championship teams, so if there is one thing he knows, it's how to win on the biggest stage of all.

Ahead of the Clippers' first-round playoffs matchup with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, he opened up about the team's championship aspirations and what will be the keys for LA  to make it all the way to the NBA Finals and take home the Larry O'Brien trophy.

As Leonard said it, there are things that they can't control like injuries. However, they must make sure to control what they can, like discipline, defense and details of the game.

“It comes down to being disciplined. And things you can't control, like being healthy,” Leonard said when asked what separates championship contenders from the pretenders, per Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group. “The things we can control is basically defense, discipline and just being able to stay focused on the details of the game.”

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Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers enter the postseason with huge expectations on their shoulders. After their failed bid in 2020 highlighted by a blown 3-1 lead in the semifinals, they are back hoping to get the job done this time.

As the Clippers superstar said it, it will all boil down to their discipline, defense and focus as they look to stay consistent and avoid another epic collapse when the going gets tough.

The Clippers are a different team compared to their 2020 squad, but what truly matters in the end is whether they can take home the silverware or not. As a team built to contend for championships, there is really no other acceptable result.

Fortunately, they have a player in Kawhi who knows exactly what LA needs.