As the Clippers move into the All Star break and the second part of the season there are many concerns. What better time to reflect and lay out everything on the table? The Clippers current seeding, recent trades made, and how they’ve been playing as a team. One of the main concerns has been the recent individual play of the LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard has played a total of 14 games, since returning from knee management to start the regular season. His stats are at 15.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.5 spg, and 0.9 bpg. He has shooting splits of 46.2% from 2/36.2 from 3/77.8% from the FT line. Now if you unpack this all his numbers are far from who Kawhi Leonard is at his peak. Obviously, that is expected to come with time, and his minutes going up.
However, that isn’t as much of a concern for Leonard as everyone else is trying to make it to be. He responded to a question following a loss against the visiting Indiana Pacers last Thursday night. A reporter asked him, about playing 34 minutes that night and him ramping up. Leonard quickly responded with, “I already felt good.” Very Kawhi like answer simple, short, and straight to the point. (3:08-3:27)
In watching his first 14 games, there is more to look at than just the numbers where he is still on a minute’s restriction at 25 minutes per game. Let’s start with what he just said, “He’s been feeling good.” Who better to ask such a question than the actual person? There is this narrative for years that Kawhi Leonard doesn’t talk, or he doesn’t talk enough.
The thing is he talks the question is do you listen?
Through observing, Kawhi he is a man of few words, but a lot of meaning when it comes to the media. Like his basketball game, his responses tend to be simple, straightforward, but very effective. Spending less time as possible wasting his energy on long drawn-out responses that seem politically correct. He rather just gets to the point, and its up to you how you dissect his answer.
Also, look at more what he’s doing on the basketball court more than just his raw stats. Look at, how is he moving on the floor, is he engaged defensively? How is his stamina on both ends of the court? It’s those things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, but on the eye test that make the biggest difference for someone like him.
The Clippers moved from the number 5 ranked defense much of the season to as high as number 2 defensively from Kawhi’s return up until now. That is what you call impact ladies and gentlemen. Now where the turn has taken, is recently within the last five games losing to teams such as the Raptors, Lakers, and the Pacers.
While the Clippers, have only beaten the Utah Jazz and the Charlotte Hornets two of the bottom teams in the eastern and western conferences. In the last five games, he has averaged 15ppg off 41.6% shooting from the field. In those same five games, he has not shot over 50%, and the Clippers are 2-3 in that stretch where they are currently sitting at 7th seed in the Western Conference.
However, the eight games before that where Leonard was starting to find his rhythm, they were 6-2, and they were as high as the 4th seed in the western conference. In that stretch, Leonard averaged 19.8 ppg of 56.8% shooting from the field. Those numbers are still not peak Kawhi whatsoever, but there is still and an obvious difference in Leonard’s scoring and efficiency numbers mixed in with the team record.
That stretch consisted of him having a 27 point performance against the Spurs in a win, a big win against the Milwaukee Bucks where he guarded Giannis Antetokounmpo in the third quarter, and having multiple games where he was efficient getting a good quality of shot attempts. The ironic thing is that if it was because of his health, or coming back rusty the performances and stretches would be switched but they are not. So, what’s really going on?
Well, another quote Leonard said, where you must read between the lines was there 110-130 victory over the Utah Jazz last Saturday night. Another reporter asked Leonard postgame did he feel concerned about stepping on anyone’s toes? Leonard responded with a quick, “no not at all.” Than further continued by saying, “it’s not like we are the #1 seed or something.”
Kawhi Leonard was asked if he thinks about not stepping on his teammates’ toes as he works his way back.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) February 9, 2025
“No. Not at all. No… I don’t feel no way about stepping on anybody toes. It’s not like we’re the No. 1 seed or something.” pic.twitter.com/nkgVXxuIov
Once again, Kawhi will talk it’s up to the listener to properly hear what he is saying. He just a few games ago said, “he was already feeling good.” The performances before the five-game losing stretch highlights that. Based off his most recent quote, he seems to be more frustrated with the direction the Clippers been going and how they’ve been playing. Kawhi Leonard just doesn’t look at a win and say, “ok that’s it it’s fine” He looks at the big picture he is more concerned about how the team is looking while they are playing and/or winning games.
Last season, the Clippers in that memorable 25-6 run right before All Star break. He said, “We are winning games off of talent.” This was at the point the Clippers were looked as dominant throughout the NBA, so why would he say this now? It is because he understands the process to win an NBA Championship, and the habits that must be built to be successful.
Which makes sense.
Leonard along with head coach Ty Lue has recently echoed the same phrase “We need to play with paste.” Pointing at their team offense, and how they are sitting at 22nd in the NBA. The Clippers have been struggling offensively to generate points all season long. The masses believed that once Kawhi came back that they would jump up with time. While they have since his return, made some progress it was short lived with the drop in the last 5-6 games. He has been back for 14 games and the Clippers have still been inconsistent on the offensive side of the ball to score.
There is a disturbing pattern going on with this, and it’s not about how Kawhi Leonard feels health wise. Not only that since his individual production has dropped so have the Clippers seeding which is at now the 7th seed in the West with teams like the Mavericks, Kings, Warriors, and the Suns only trailing them from a range of 1-3 games. The bad news is that it is not a lot of separation for the Clippers and other teams in the play in. The good news is that Kawhi Leonard is perfectly fine and trending toward playing high level basketball. It is time for the Clippers to go back to winning habits.
