36 points at 13/18 shooting, Spurs on the mat

Nobody watches him but he continues his awakening. This Friday, on the Spurs floor, Kawhi Leonard continued his excellent return to business with a performance mounted high in the treble. Well, a hard-won victory for a dunce cap from the Western Conference, but the important thing is elsewhere. The Clippers have (really) recovered their No. 1.

The pretty house boxscore is by ICI !

Sluggish victory but victory all the same, the Clippers reacted well to the end of two consecutive defeats.

On paper, the meeting was marked with a clinical address: 131 to 126, 63% shooting for the Clippers, 54% from 3-point range for both teams, seven Spurs to at least 10 points and the constant feeling that a missed offense was an offense behind. Lots (really lots) of gaps on both sides when it came to covering/preventing cuts. It is also on this that Kawhi Leonard has made most of his business. The business in question? 36 points at 13/18 shooting, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, “only” 2 loose balls and +14 from plus/minus in 38 minutes of play. Klaw in the text. A fifth consecutive game at 50% shooting, and averages of 30 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals over this period. We found this ability to receive under the circle following a cut and climb straight as a peak regardless of the vis-à-vis. A tough and fearless recovery, sometimes at the risk of being tapped by guys like Romeo Langford. The most reassuring? Kawhi and Paul George fit properly since their recent reunion. The team’s second All-Star has turned into « point-forward » on this meeting with 16 points at 7/13 in shooting and… 12 assists. A withdrawal beneficial to the collective (+17 from plus/minus).

Kawhi here, Kawhi there… We still top one for the 26 units at 9/11 shooting including 4/5 at 3-pointers of Norman Powell, one of the only two capital gains coming off the bench with Nico Batum. The candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year trophy caught fire in line with his last outings: 22.5 points on average at 55% shooting including 55% from the parking lot over the last six games. A total contrast with the passage of Frenchie Moussa Diabaté who showed absolutely nothing: 0 pointed everywhere and -16 from plus/minus in 6 minutes of play. We will have to work on the defense and the offensive placement, even if this performance is completely isolated from everything he has produced since the start of the season (especially in the G League).

Barely positive balance sheet, 24 victories for as many defeats, the Clippers are 6th in the Western Conference equally with Golden State. Small breath of air, Tyronn Lue’s group clings to the good part of the table, Kawhi Leonard is perhaps back in top form.

Kawhi’s showing off in a return to San Antonio. ????

(????: @LAClippers)pic.twitter.com/VrlpRhIBMo

— theScore (@theScore) January 21, 2023