LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard is in his first year back from a torn ACL, but if you've watched the Los Angeles Clippers the last few months, you can hardly tell. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both got a first-hand look at Leonard in the Golden State Warriors' loss to the Clippers last week.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points in 36 minutes on 10-of-19 shooting, adding eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the Clippers' much-needed home win over the defending NBA champion Warriors. It was enough to hold off Steph Curry, who dropped 50 points on 20-of-28 shooting despite the loss.
It was another game in which Leonard looked extremely decisive and efficient in his overall play. After the game, both Draymond Green and Stephen Curry took time to praise the former two-time NBA Finals MVP.
“You're just seeing him constantly getting closer and closer back to Kawhi,” Draymond Green said. “I think he's there now. If you watched earlier in the season, he was kind of timid a little bit, picking and choosing his spot on when to go, the explosiveness wasn't quite there. Maybe the last 20-25 games, he's really looking like the Kawhi that we all grew to know.”
Draymond Green on Kawhi Leonard:
"You're just seeing him constantly getting closer and closer back to Kawhi. I think he's there now… Maybe the last 20-25 games, he's really looking like the Kawhi that we all grew to know." pic.twitter.com/SAARMcyVzw
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 16, 2023
Stephen Curry wasn't a man of many words, instead referencing his stat line against the Warriors to sum up his statement.
“Thirty, eight [rebounds], and five [assists],” Curry said. “In 36 really tough minutes. Speaks for itself.”
Steph Curry on Kawhi Leonard’s return from the ACL injury:
"30. 8. and 5. In 36 really tough minutes. Speaks for itself." pic.twitter.com/K1njPPqdAw
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 16, 2023
On the season, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field, 41.5 percent from 3-point range, and 87.9 percent from the free throw line. What's even more impressive is Leonard's performance over the last 25 games, where he's averaging 28.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.6 3-pointers per game on an insane 53.7 percent shooting from the field, 48.5 percent from deep, and 91.7 percent from the line.
Since I asked Kawhi Leonard about his 3-point shooting on December 17, he’s been the 2nd best 3-point shooter in the ENTIRE NBA.
In the 31 games since this interview, Kawhi is shooting 47.3% from three, 2nd behind only Joe Harris’ 47.6%. https://t.co/ZEvIxM7bkT
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 16, 2023
One thing the Clippers and Leonard still refuse to do this season is play him both sets of a back-to-back. His health is their No. 1 priority, and getting to the postseason as close to 100 percent as possible will give them the best possible chance at an NBA championship this season.
The Clippers currently sit at 37-34 and the 5-seed in the Western Conference. They sit two full games up on the 7-seed Warriors, who continue to dominate at home and struggle on the road. The Clippers are also just a half-game behind the Phoenix Suns for the No. 4 seed in the West, so nearly every seed in the conference is very much up for grabs.
“We just control our own destiny,” Russell Westbrook said after a recent Clippers game. “We know if we take care of business, night in and night out, it’s on us to control where we go. That’s the best thing about it. We’re at home a lot, this upcoming month. And so we control our destiny.”
The Clippers will play a two-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder this week on both Tuesday and Thursday. The Thunder will also play the Lakers on Friday night, the second half of a crucial back-to-back set for OKC.
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