When it comes to the Los Angeles Clippers, their ability to close out games, and series, has always been a weak point.
As one of the worst clutch teams in the league, their constant collapses late in games helped contribute to their meltdown in the Western Conference Semis in 2020.
But something seems to be different about these current Clippers. While they can still go through frustrating spells on offense and defense, Kawhi Leonard’s greatness has helped keep them afloat in these playoffs.
According to NBA.com, “The Klaw” has not yet missed a single shot in the fourth quarter of all 5 games the Clippers won during the 2021 playoffs.
Credit to u/mdivan on Reddit for providing these stats:
8.6 minutes per game (over five game)
8.6 PPG
FG%: 3.2/3.2 100%
3FG%: 0.8/0.8 100%
FT%: 1.4/1.4 100%
Totals: 16/16 FG, 4/4 from three, 7/7 FT.
The Clippers have come back from the brink of elimination, winning four out of five against the Mavericks and then getting a win at home down 0-2 to the Utah Jazz.
Say what you want about the Clippers, but Kawhi is showing that he alone might be enough to exorcise their demons and push the franchise to new heights.
The question is, is his current performance sustainable? For the Clippers’ sake, it better be…
