Less than two months ago, the Los Angeles Clippers were practically dead in the water.
After a tumultuous offseason and a 6-21 start, no one would have faulted Los Angeles if they had decided to hit the reset button. However, Kawhi Leonard had other plans.
On December 20, Kawhi Leonard poured in 32 points, knocked down four three-pointers, and added 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks as they beat their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, 103–88. The victory not only snapped a five-game losing streak, but also ignited a six-game winning run that helped revive the Clippers’ season.
Since then, they have crawled back up the standings. They have gone 18-6 to improve their record to 23-27 which has them in ninth place in the West. There is still a long way to go for Los Angeles to climb into the top six for a guaranteed playoff berth, but with the way Leonard has been playing, it is not far-fetched to believe he can make that push possible.
The 34-year-old Leonard is in the midst of the best offensive season of his career so far, with per game averages of 27.6 points on 49.7% field goal shooting and 2.7 three-pointers–all of which are career-highs. He is also averaging strong supporting statistics as well with 6.1 points, 3.6 assists, and two steals.
Leonard has been even better In his 21 games since their monumental win over the Lakers, putting up 30 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.1 steals. He has also posted 30 consecutive games with 20 points or more, highlighting how dominant he has been over the past few weeks. This helped him earn an All-Star nod for this season’s midseason showcase–which will be hosted by the Clippers–from NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Los Angeles doubled down on Leonard during the trade deadline, trading away their second and third best players, James Harden and Ivica Zubac, in two smart deals that should help them stay competitive both in the present and the future. They swapped out Harden for another All-Star point guard, Darius Garland, who is a full decade younger.
Meanwhile, they received a strong package from the Indiana Pacers for Zubac that includes scoring wing Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson, two first round picks, and a pair of second round picks.
Following these trades, the Clippers can not only continue their push up the standings, but are also setting themselves up for the coming years.
Leonard remains the centerpiece of this franchise and the addition of Garland, Mathurin, and Jackson bolsters what still is a deep supporting cast that includes John Collins, Brook Lopez, Kris Dunn, and Jordan Miller to name a few.
This ongoing renaissance of Leonard has not only pulled Los Angeles out of the lottery and back into the playoff race, but seems to have also given the franchise a clearer direction for the future after months of uncertainty.
If Leonard can stay healthy–and that is a big if given his history–this retooled roster has the potential to make it far. What once looked like a lost season can still turn into something far more meaningful. Though he is getting up there in age, these past few weeks have proven that a healthy Kawhi Leonard remains one of the best players in all of basketball.
