Toronto Raptors All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard made NBA history on May 23.
Leonard registered his seventh playoff game of at least 35 points in the Raptors' 105-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday.
By doing so, Leonard joined Elgin Baylor, Bernard King, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and LeBron James, per NBA Stats' official Twitter account.
Kawhi Leonard is the 6th player in postseason history with at least 7 35-point games prior to the NBA Finals, joining Elgin Baylor (1961), Bernard King (1984), Michael Jordan (1989, 1990, 1992), Hakeem Olajuwon (1995), and LeBron James (2009, 2017, 2018)! #SAPStatLineOfTheNight pic.twitter.com/b0AXNGOVgw
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) May 24, 2019
Leonard scored at least 34 points twice against the upstart Orlando Magic in the first round.
Leonard then scored at least 35 points four times against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. This includes a 45-point output in Game 1 and a 41-point showing in Game 7.
Leonard has continued his torrid pace in the Eastern Conference Finals. He has scored at least 31 points in four of the five games so far.
As of May 23, Leonard has been averaging 31.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists for the Raptors in the postseason. There's no reason to believe Leonard will slow down in Game 6 against the Bucks on Saturday.
They lovin' that back in T.O. pic.twitter.com/k2vVDhYC27
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 24, 2019
If Leonard scores at least 35 points in that game, he would eclipse some of the greatest playoff performers in NBA history. Leonard's scoring binge coincides with him making the All-NBA Second Team on Thursday.
So far, nobody has slowed down Kawhi Leonard — not even NBA MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. With the way he's going, Leonard is dead set on bringing the city of Toronto (and all of Canada for that matter) its first NBA title.
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