Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard made a statement against the Philadelphia 76ers with a historic performance in Game 1 of their second round matchup.
Leonard finished with 45 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead the way for the Raptors in their 108-95 victory over the Sixers. The Klaw shot an efficient 69.6 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from the 3-point line and 90.9 percent from the charity stripe.
Kawhi made life hard for Philly all night long, providing the crucial plays and taking the big shots to help Toronto control the game throughout. The three-time All-Star had 27 points in the first half alone, with the Raps never trailing again after going behind by five in the opening exchanges.
Remarkably, according to ESPN Stats & Info, Leonard is the first player in franchise history to ever record at least 40 points and 10 boards in the postseason. His 45 points are also the second-most by a Raptor, only five behind Vince Carter's 50 back in 2001.
Kawhi Leonard is the 1st player in Raptors history with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game.
His 45 points were the 2nd-most in Raptors postseason history, behind only Vince Carter's 50-point game in 2001. pic.twitter.com/GKEbBjnHwo
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 28, 2019
Kawhi Leonard is often considered as one of the best two-way players in the NBA today, and his latest feat only proves that Toronto made the right decision to acquire him in exchange for DeMar DeRozan.
Toronto is expected to lean on Leonard throughout the 2018-19 postseason. They now have a 1-0 series lead against the Sixers, with a chance to make it 2-0 on Monday when they play again at home.
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