Clippers fans can rejoice, it seems all of their waiting has finally paid off. For the first time all season, and the first time since his unfortunate knee injury back in October, superstar Kawhi Leonard had a full start without any minute restrictions.
That’s huge news for Los Angeles, who’s been working hard to get the future hall of famer back to full strength. While they surely wanted him to come out of the gates blazing once he returned from rehab, they needed to be careful with him as well.
The sturdy guard showed his usual athleticism and scoring abilities, but did so on limited minutes. That restriction allowed him to get back up to NBA speed without risking reinjury. The Clippers didn’t want him to see full game action until he proved to be ready.
That’s exactly what he did against the Spurs.
Worth the Wait
When healthy, Leonard is unquestionably one of the best guards in the NBA. He’s strong, lengthy, an amazing defender, and can score in a variety of ways. While injuries have kept him off the court many times during his career, he’s nearly unstoppable at full strength.
He’s shown that during his limited games this season. The lengthy guard has scored 15, 18, and 17 points in the last three games along with 1, 4, and 2 assists. Those stats reveal why he’s so good, and how much of an asset he can be.
He once again proved his value while facing off against his former team on Wednesday night. In 29 minutes, the most he’s played this season, he completely took over with 27 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block. All of those were good enough to be season highs.
He also did a great job on defense, being his usual tenacious self by disrupting the Spurs offense and forcing them to take bad shots. That two-way ability is worth noting because it’s what makes him so useful.
A Strong Leader
Leonard’s individual stats were impressive, but even more important was how well he helped the team. Everyone played much better when he was on the court, including other stars James Harden and Norman Powell.
Despite his strong scoring, the game remained tight for a lot of the contest. The Clippers were up by five at half, two at the end of the third quarter, and even lost the lead on a Victor Wembanyama three pointer with just 5:38 left.
However, after that point, the Clippers went on a 17-2 run led mainly by their stars. Leonard capped it off with a midrange jumpshot, which gave the team enough distance to lock things down and cruise the rest of the way.
While Los Angeles may have won the game without Leonard, having him in such a tight situation went a long way. He’s still clutch and not afraid of the big moment.
A Trend in the Right Direction
Leonard’s performance gave the Clippers an amazing amount of confidence, and showed why they’ve had no issues paying him despite all of his injuries over the past few seasons. Even with losing Paul George in the offseason, the team has built up quite the roster. Adding a healthy Leonard to it could put them over the top.
They obviously have a long way to go if they want to make a deep playoff run or take a real shot at a championship, but there’s no question that they won’t be able to push past some of the top teams without Leonard in their corner.
That triple threat of Leonard, Harden and Powell is one of the strongest trios in the current league. They can all matchup well against opposing stars and provide an unparalleled amount of offensive potential.
Owner Steve Ballmer has also had no issues bringing in talent, while head coach Tyronn Lue is a leader with championship experience. All of those pieces might not be enough individually, but they come together quite well around Leonard’s full return.
Looking to the Future
The Clippers currently sit seven games over .500 at 27-20. They have won seven of their last ten, and are having no issues taking care of business against lesser teams. With that in mind, it’s now time for them to start thinking about the postseason.
The playoffs are a long way off, but if the Clippers want their plans to come to fruition they need everyone on the same page. Leonard appears to be back and Powell is having the best year of his career. More importantly, Harden has never missed the playoffs in his entire career.
Taking all of that into account, the Clippers may very well be ready for things to go their way. Leonard needs to stay healthy in order for that to happen, but if the game against San Antonio is any indication, it’s hard to beat Los Angeles when he’s on the court.
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