When it comes to experience Kawhi Leonard, the only certainty is uncertainty. The five-time All-Star forward would have to arrive at his team’s facility and answer a quiz each day.
How is Kawhi feeling today? Will he play both games back to back? Will you want to stay beyond this season? How many bottles of water can he hold in his hands?
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The biggest unknown about LA Clippers facing the 2022-2023 season was yes Kawhi Leonard could reclaim his status as one of the most dominant stars of the NBA.
At the start of the new campaign, he showed signs of rust, which is not surprising given that he was coming off a serious knee injury. Through his first 16 games, Leonard averaged 17.3 points in 28.9 minutes on 47.7 percent shooting from the field and 27.4 percent from three.
But the numbers didn’t tell the whole story. Leonard focused on the process rather than the immediate resultsand there were hopeful moments from the two-time Finals MVP for those who watched closely.
“Even the slow start he had, he was like, ‘OK, we’re good.’Clippers forward Paul George told JJ Redick on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast. “He takes good shots. He’s going to turn it over at some point and we’re going to be in the game because of his shooting ability, his playmaking and his presence on the court.”
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Now, there is no doubt. Kawhi Leonard is back to his old level with the Toronto Raptors.
Since the start of 2023, Leonard’s stats have increased in all respects and they are in line with what he produced en route to the championship in Toronto. He was ridiculously efficient, flirting with 50/40/90 shooting percentages.
| Season 2022-2023 | Points | rebound | assist | thefts | Minutes | TC% | 3PT% | TL% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20/10 to 31/12 (16 matches) | 17.3 | 6.1 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 28.9 | 47.7 | 27.4 | 78.1 |
| 1/1 to 7/3 (23 games) | 27.4 | 6.3 | 3.9 | 1.7 | 36.2 | 52.2 | 48.7 | 91.6 |
| Total (39 games) | 23.3 | 6.2 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 33.2 | 50.7 | 41.3 | 87.4 |
In a thrilling double overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on February 24th, Leonard crushed all of his opponents. He scored 21 of his 44 points in the third quarter and didn’t miss a shot throughout that period.
Strong foot triples, baskets on the move, off the dribble, in one vs. one, faced with a double tag…Leonard absolutely operated, slicing and slicing the Sacramento defense from every angle.
Leonard also showed off his elite defense. He may never reach the monstrous level of being the NBA’s best defender again, but he’s still capable of breaking through possessions on his own.
On January 31, in a win over the Chicago Bulls, he had a season-high five steals, including a classic performance of…
As was the game-defining heist in the final seconds.
“He has a gift and an ability to stay in the game. It’s impressive.”George said to Reddick. “He’s awesome because he’s great, amazing defensively, but there are times when someone can outplay him. But then he has this crazy ability, it’s like his arms get longer. His fingers get longer. He has a way of getting back into that play It’s amazing”.
“He’s got a grip on the ground that allows him to get anywhere and shut down anything. It’s crazy. It’s crazy to watch.”
More importantly, Leonard continues to directly impact his team’s performance. The LA Clippers are top five in offense and defense when on the courtand he has one 24-15 record with him vs. 10-18 without him.
Of course, that’s the point, isn’t it? The Raptors were able to implement a strategy that kept Leonard in the 2019 playoffs as his minutes increased. It’s unclear if the Clippers will succeed in the same way.
So while the original question has been answered, others remain. That’s just part of the Kawhi Leonard experience.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
