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When you think of load management in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard is one of the first players who comes to mind. Unlike others, though, Leonard has faced an uphill journey to get back on the court from multiple knee injuries through the years. Now that he's finally healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers star is putting his team in a position to contend at the highest level possible.
A first-round playoff series with the Denver Nuggets is exactly what the Clippers wanted. Between having a chance to take down Nikola Jokic, who has won three of the last four MVP awards, and getting revenge on the team that ended their title hopes in 2020, this challenge of facing Denver was ideal for LA.
The entire 2024-25 season for the Clippers has been about overcoming adversity, with Leonard not debuting until the calendar flipped to 2025 while James Harden reversed his decline to put together an All-NBA-like resume. As a team, LA went from a bottom-tier defensive team to ranking inside the top three in the league as Ivica Zubac blossomed into a star in the middle.
The greatest battle of them all for this organization was remaining confident in Leonard, standing by his side, and monitoring his minutes throughout the regular season to ensure that he would be 100 percent ready for what this team believes can be a championship push.
Well, nobody can fault the Clippers right now for their injury management theories regarding Kawhi, especially after how well he has played to begin the playoffs.
Game 1 between the Clippers and Nuggets was a grueling test of endurance and will. With emotions running high, the home crowd became a factor late in the fourth quarter, leading to an eventual overtime period where Denver prevailed with a 112-110 win. Despite the loss and a rare seven-turnover game from Kawhi, confidence was instilled in the Clippers due to their defensive toughness and wide production outside of Leonard and Harden on offense.
That created a strong sense of belief heading into Game 2. Kawhi led the charge in the second game on Monday, scoring 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and completely shutting down any Nuggets scoring runs before they even began. This was Leonard's best playoff game in quite some time, and it came at a moment when many were starting to overlook his greatness.
Before the playoffs began, nobody was pinpointing Leonard as one of the best players who could lead his team on a deep run. While his past as a two-time Finals MVP has been well-documented, those days were believed to be a thing of the past for the LA Clippers star. After Game 2, it has become clear that past version of Kawhi never disappeared.
Kawhi Leonard never left … we just forgot
Don't call it a comeback. That's not the case here with Kawhi.
Sure, he may have missed a lot of time and was on the brink of losing his status as a star in this league, but Leonard has always been as consistent as they come when on the court.
Injuries happen. In Leonard's case, they piled up to the point where he needed an injury management regime that resulted in him playing only 37 games this season. The conversation surrounding Kawhi is always focused on his injury struggles, yet nobody wants to focus on the fact that he was an All-Star and selected to the All-NBA Second Team last year.
While his availability was limited throughout the regular season, there was no reason to write off Leonard's impact when he's healthy. Now that he feels 100 percent in the playoffs, we are seeing the version of Kawhi that has earned the future Hall-of-Fame label from basketball fans everywhere.
The Clippers understand what Leonard went through to get back on the court. Harden is appreciative of his strength to overcome adversity, and this entire team has backed Leonard all the way no matter what he has dealt with. That speaks volumes to the culture that exists and the belief Leonard's teammates still have in him to be the leader of a title-contending organization.
“Anybody in the business that's playing and knows how hard it is to either come back from injury or just even playing in the NBA — they understand what we all go through, what I go through,” Leonard said in his postgame remarks on Monday evening. “To get to see that from your peers and hear that from them is great.
“Any NBA game is really hard to play, especially in the playoffs. It may look easy by just watching us and seeing how skilled we are, but these games are hard to play. You got to play hard every possession, every minute.”
That is exactly what the Clippers and Leonard did in Game 2 against Denver. Even though the Nuggets got off to a strong start and took the lead in the first quarter, Leonard rapidly settled into a groove and commanded the Clippers' offense. The security blanket he provided instilled confidence in the team, and it translated over to their defensive success.
As a result, LA took Game 2 in Denver and will head home for their first-ever playoff game in the brand-new Intuit Dome. The next game of this series will be the most pivotal playoff game this team has faced in quite some time. However, with Leonard healthy and playing at an All-NBA level again, the Clippers' belief in themselves remains at an all-time high.
“I'm just happy that I'm able to move and I'm coming out of the game feeling well. That's what I'm taking my pride on — just being healthy,” Leonard continued. “I sat and watched these playoff games and series the past two years, so me able to be front line out there … it just feels good for me, no matter which way the game goes.”
Kawhi had not won a playoff game since 2023 heading into Monday night. He had sat out games due to injury and was forced to watch his team struggle in the postseason because of matters that were out of his control.
While the easy path would have been to quit and move on, that isn't Leonard's character. He is a fighter, a winner, and a proven champion who took on the tall task of guiding this Clippers franchise to glory. That remains the goal at hand, and that's why everyone in the organization holds him on a pedestal.
“Every single day — the preparation, it's the treatment, it's the strengthening, you know what I mean? It's consistently every single day,” Harden said of Leonard after his 39-point performance in Denver. Luck has not been on his side, or whatever the case you may call it, but he loves to hoop. As you see, when he's on the court, he's a killer. I'm glad he's in good space right now.”
Harden concluded his thoughts on Leonard's performance in Game 2: “Big-time player.”
No matter what Leonard does on the court or how good he is, constant talk of his injury struggles persists. Nobody wants to put the past behind the six-time All-Star, and his struggles are always thrust into the spotlight over his achievements.
“Nah, not at all. Not even a little bit. It's always negative. It's always what he's been through and what he's not able to do just because of something he can't control,” Harden said of Kawhi never being appreciated. “It's always the negative. It's always the hate that people want to talk about, which is something that we got to live with in this world. As far as me being close with him every single day and seeing the work he puts in, you appreciate him.”
Some may call his performance in Game 2 a comeback, but this is just who Kawhi is. This is the player he has been his entire career, and it's time to end all the negative talk surrounding one of the most accomplished players of this generation.
Leonard did not just happen to stumble upon two Finals MVP trophies. His determination to win created those opportunities, and it's the same winning mentality now that has helped establish a culture in Los Angeles.
Defining Clippers' championship outlook
The Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
This group finished the regular season winning 18 of their last 21 games, including eight straight to claim the 5-seed in the Western Conference. At one point, it appeared as if Leonard and Co. were bound for the play-in tournament, but their determination and competitive spirit created opportunity to rise in the West standings.
Whether they were to claim a top-four spot in the standings or go on the road for the first two games of a series, the Clippers understood who they were. This tough-minded and defensive identity forged during the second half of the season with Leonard on the floor has put Los Angeles in new light.
Do the Clippers have what it takes to win a championship?
Every season, this is the question being asked about the Los Angeles-based team that's always cast in the Los Angeles Lakers' shadow. The “little brother” franchise, as some would refer to the Clippers in LA, are no longer hiding behind the history of their unsuccessful playoff journeys.
With Leonard and head coach Tyronn Lue, the Clippers have found postseason success — reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2021 and making their third straight playoff appearance.
Now is the time for the Clippers to strike and prove who they are. Now is the time for this organization to make a statement by taking down Jokic and the Nuggets, who recently won the 2023 NBA Finals.
Owner Steve Ballmer invested billions into his team because he believes this group can win a championship. That was one of the main factors for building the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. This arena's playoff debut will be electric, and the Clippers are ready to put on a show.
“I expect it to be very, very loud, like it's been all year,” Harden said. “It's the playoffs. It's my 16th year being here, so you understand what you're up against. You understand that just because you're going back home, it's not going to be easy and it doesn't guarantee a win. For us, playing against this very good Denver Nuggets team, it's an even kill.
“We lose last game (and) we didn't get too low. We win (and) we didn't get too high. This series could have easily been 0-2 we down or we could have been up. We understand that, so going back home gives us an opportunity to win.”
Of course, winning becomes easier with Leonard on the court playing at an All-NBA level. If there were any doubts before, it's clear that Kawhi is back. Then again, Leonard never left. He was facing an obstacle in his career that he would not let define him.
Kawhi Leonard is a fighter. Although he looks stoic and never lets his emotions show on the court, Leonard thrives under pressure and the constant swings of a basketball game.
His only goal right now is to win one game at a time. It takes four wins in a series to advance, and it takes 16 wins to claim a championship. While there are still a lot of games yet to be played, especially in this series, Lue and the Clippers know they can win any game with Leonard.
“This is what Kawhi lives for. Trying to get to this point where he's healthy for the playoffs,” Lue stated. “We know if we got a health Kawhi, we can win any series.”
