Kawhi Leonard has shown flashes this season that he’s still a high-level, All-Star-caliber player when healthy. Yesterday was no different. In the last game of the season, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors behind masterclass performances by James Harden and Leonard. In a game that decided their playoff fate, Leonard was dominant — clinching the fifth seed in the process and sending the Warriors into the Play-In. That’s huge for this Clippers team.
Some have said they’re the dark horse to come out of the Western Conference, and in games like yesterday, you can see why. Leonard shot 65% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc (4/8), and paired that with seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals.
He did this in 47 minutes of play, including overtime, and mentioned that he was appreciative to have an organization like the Clippers that didn’t rush him back until he was fully healthy. The process of rehabbing was frustrating, but he’s just happy to be 100% healthy at the perfect time as the playoffs begin this week.
Kawhi Leonard on playing 47 minutes tonight after rehabbing to get back:
“It felt good. I’m happy that I had a great organization behind me to allow me to get healthy and know exactly what I needed to do. Them letting me reach out to outside sources and combining together and… pic.twitter.com/xENhhRhnv6
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 13, 2025
“It felt good(to be back), I’m happy that I had a great organization behind me to allow me to get healthy and know exactly what I needed to do,” Leonard said in his postgame press conference. “Them(The Clippers) letting me reach out to outside sources and combining together and collabbing. It’s not over yet. We still got a playoff series to try to win. Just wanna keep going from there. Just have a good playoff and have a healthy offseason and just keep going.”
Star guard James Harden continues to have an impressive season and had one of his best performances yesterday, finishing with 39 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Harden was everywhere, and every point was needed to squeeze this win out. The Clippers are a team nobody wants to see. With a healthy Leonard and Harden, things could get interesting in the first round of the Western Conference.
Stephen A. Smith mentioned that with this version of Kawhi, the Clippers have the potential to make it to the NBA Finals. They’re 18-3 in their last 21 games and currently rank first in the NBA in offensive efficiency.
“You got me. That damn Kawhi Leonard looks special right now.” 😤 @stephenasmith says the Clippers could “go to the conference finals, if not the Finals” with this version of Kawhi Leonard 📈 pic.twitter.com/kzPr265s5n
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 14, 2025
Jimmy Butler has not beaten Kawhi Leonard in eight straight games dating back to 2016 — a wild stat that highlights a one-sided battle between two elite players.
Take a look at the video of Leonard’s postgame interview and highlights of him and Harden from yesterday’s win below.
Harden/Kawhi masterclass pic.twitter.com/REFGO82Is8
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) April 13, 2025
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