Importance Score: 50 / 100 🔵
Clippers’ Championship Hopes Fueled by Kawhi Leonard’s Resurgence
LOS ANGELES — A boisterous, sold-out crowd celebrated the Los Angeles Clippers’ first playoff victory in their home arena Thursday night, a scene the franchise has long envisioned. Leading the series against Denver 2-1, the Clippers are emerging as unexpected NBA championship contenders, largely due to Kawhi Leonard‘s revitalized performance. This Clippers playoff run hinges on Kawhi Leonard’s health and dominance.
Kawhi Leonard’s Return to Elite Form
In recent weeks, Kawhi Leonard has showcased the elite scoring and tenacious defense the Clippers anticipated when they signed him in 2019, fresh off his second NBA Finals MVP award. His current form represents a remarkable comeback.
“The best thing for him was taking the summer off and getting right,” said an executive from a rival team. “I just can’t believe how slender he appears. He seems lighter, moves with greater ease, and is playing like his former self. It’s truly amazing.”
Injury History and Championship Aspirations
Leonard demonstrated similar postseason dominance in 2021. However, during a second-round series against Utah, an unfortunate collision with Joe Ingles sidelined him for the remainder of that postseason and the entire 2021-22 season due to a knee injury that required surgery.
Subsequent Clippers playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024 were also marred by Leonard’s injuries – a series of strains, inflammation, and partial or complete ligament tears. The lingering concerns surrounding his availability led rival teams to devalue his trade potential considerably in 2023.
Entering this season, his history of premature exits and the departure of Paul George tempered championship expectations. Oddsmakers initially set the Clippers’ projected win total at 35.5. Leonard didn’t even debut until early January – halfway through the season.
Despite these challenges, the Clippers achieved 50 victories, winning 18 of their final 21 games. Leonard averaged 25.7 points with a 52% shooting percentage, including 42% from three-point range, in his last 19 games.
His injury record continues to make fans, scouts, and executives cautiously optimistic, monitoring his ability to remain healthy while playing heavy minutes.
“If you have watched Kawhi closely enough you know what’s possible,” said Oscar-winning director and writer Phil Lord, a longtime Clippers fan. “He made it possible. His elite work ethic has led once again to elite play. But I never want to see Joe Ingles anywhere near him ever again.”
Playoff Impact
Recently, Leonard has delivered definitive playoff performances, including a 39-point outing on minimal misses in a Game 2 victory to even the series against Denver. In Game 3, he contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Quotes on Kawhi Leonard’s Performance
- “This is what Kawhi lives for,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said this week. “And we know if we have a healthy Kawhi, we can win any series.”
- After returning from a knee injury following the 2023 season, he routinely described his recovery as a two-year timeline that he wasn’t looking to rush by “skipping steps.”
- “Anybody in the business that is playing knows how hard it is to come back from injury or playing in the NBA. They understand what we all go through and what I went through,” Leonard said after the win.
Kawhi Leonard’s Dedication and Focus
As a beat reporter who covered Leonard daily during his first five seasons in Los Angeles, I have never been around a more routine-oriented player. Each pregame warmup was done at the same speed, with the same repetitions and drills, against the same assistant coaches. The irony that complicated his team’s championship ambitions, however, was that it was never predictable whether Leonard would be on the court.
Clint Parks, a skills trainer who worked with Leonard from his teenage years into his early NBA career, emphasizes the deep motivation behind Leonard’s transformation from an overlooked college prospect into a primary option for a championship-caliber team.
“His self-belief from Day 1 has always been one of one. He’s never not believed in himself at the highest, highest level,” Parks said. “He’s always had this work ethic. He’s always been focused. He’s always been a self-starter. At 14, he said he wanted to be one of the best to ever play basketball. That was his thing.”
“Over the years, he’s pushed toward that, and that’s exactly what he’s become, regardless of the injuries. People always talk about, ‘Oh, he could be top 10 if he didn’t miss all that time and wasn’t injured.’ Shoot, if he can finish the job and somehow bring home a championship to the Clippers, he will still be top 10 all time with all the injuries and everything and all the time he’s missed.”
Over the past two seasons, Leonard has displayed flashes reminiscent of his peak performance, marked by six All-Star selections, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and recognition as one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players. However, a season-ending knee injury in 2023 against Phoenix and another playoff exit against Dallas last year due to injury have fueled skepticism.
A year ago, the rival executive stated the prevailing sentiment around the league was, “Uh-oh, here we go again.’”
Following a carefully managed workload increase, Leonard needed a month after his season debut to surpass 30 minutes for the first time. Another month later, in March, he exceeded 40 minutes. His playoff performance is now exceeding most expectations for the 33-year-old superstar.
“He’s back to looking like the best player in the world,” Parks concluded.