The Clippers were up to 22 points ahead in Dallas. Then they missed their third quarter, which allowed the Mavericks to come back. At the start of the last act, Dante Exum even gives his team the advantage. In the seconds that follow, Kawhi Leonard returns to the game.
Los Angeles will go through a decisive 14-2 in three minutes to win and continue their winning streak. While they were pushed around, and had wasted a big lead, the Clippers stayed the course and it is largely thanks to the MVP of the 2014 and 2019 Finals.
” It is complicated. A player like him can take big shots at the end of the match,” notes Jaden Hardy for the Dallas Morning News. “He can play and go to the circle despite the contact, it’s huge for them. He changed the match somewhat. »
His constant presence offers new confidence to the Clippers
Kawhi Leonard scored 8 points in this 14-2 Clippers victory. With his mastery and his baskets, he brought calm to his team. He finished with 30 points on 12/22 shooting, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
“We couldn’t stop it,” regrets Jason Kidd. “He took control of the game. You can't face him one-on-one and he was quick to get out of two-on-one holds. We can't contain him, he's too powerful. »
In this month of December, during which the Californians have not yet lost after nine matches, the former Spurs and Raptors average 29.3 points at 62% shooting success including 55% at 3-pts. He is remarkably efficient and above all present in every match. He still hasn't missed a game, and that changes everything.
“This gives us a lot of confidence,” book Ivica Zubac for ESPNreferring to the good health of his teammate and that of Paul George. “We know that we are going to fight every night and when we have our two main weapons with us, it pushes us to be better, it motivates us. In recent years, it was a little hard to go on the floor knowing that number 1 or number 2 were not there. »
| Kawhi Leonard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | SAN | 64 | 24 | 49.3 | 37.6 | 77.3 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.9 |
| 2012-13 | SAN | 58 | 31 | 49.4 | 37.4 | 82.5 | 1.1 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 11.9 |
| 2013-14 | SAN | 66 | 29 | 52.2 | 37.9 | 80.2 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 12.8 |
| 2014-15 | SAN | 64 | 32 | 47.9 | 34.9 | 80.2 | 1.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 16.5 |
| 2015-16 | SAN | 72 | 33 | 50.6 | 44.3 | 87.4 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 21.2 |
| 2016-17 | SAN | 74 | 33 | 48.5 | 38.0 | 88.0 | 1.1 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 25.5 |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 9 | 23 | 46.8 | 31.4 | 81.6 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 16.2 |
| 2018-19 | TOR | 60 | 34 | 49.6 | 37.1 | 85.4 | 1.3 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 26.6 |
| 2019-20 | LAKE | 57 | 32 | 47.0 | 37.8 | 88.6 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 27.1 |
| 2020-21 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 39.8 | 88.5 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 24.9 |
| 2022-23 | LAKE | 52 | 34 | 51.2 | 41.6 | 87.1 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 23.8 |
| 2023-24 | LAKE | 26 | 34 | 52.0 | 44.0 | 87.2 | 1.0 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 24.2 |
| Total | 654 | 32 | 49.6 | 39.0 | 86.0 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 19.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
