Kawhi Leonard has helped the Toronto Raptors trim the Milwaukee Bucks' lead in their Eastern Conference Finals series to one game, scoring 36 points, nine rebounds and five assists in their 118-112 overtime win in Game 3.
This is the fourth consecutive game that the former Finals MVP has scored at least 30 points, dating back to their Game 7 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers in the East semis. Leonard's performance in the playoffs throughout his career tells the story of his rise as one of the best players in the league.
Kawhi Leonard PPG by postseason
2012: 8.6
2013: 13.5
2014: 14.3
2015: 20.3
2016: 22.5
2017: 27.7
2019: 32.0— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) May 20, 2019
But unlike when he was with the San Antonio Spurs — where he was a part of a pass-first, team basketball style of play — Leonard is playing like an absolute lone star with the Raptors, carving out stellar individual performance every game. This is largely due to the fact that most of his teammates have been inconsistent throughout the course of these playoffs, so he literally has to carry the scoring load for them.
Still, Leonard hasn't complained or called out his teammates or his coaches, and he hasn't been frustrated with the team's losses. He just keeps on playing, always looking forward to the next game whether they win or not. His stoic persona is one of the main reasons why he's one of the most unique superstars in the league.
And with him leading the way, the Raptors have the opportunity to even things up in Game 4 on Tuesday, May 21.
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