Kevin Durant is one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen, and he is arguably the greatest scorer in the league in the last decade or so. There are few playing today who have a resume that compares with KD, but someone who could potentially have had his name mentioned alongside Durant is Kawhi Leonard.
Like KD, Kawhi has won 2 championships and has been a force on the defensive end for much of his career. Unfortunately for Leonard, he just can’t stay healthy these days, and he has now missed over 298 games in his career as he remains on the sidelines for the Clippers.
Kevin Durant Reveals His True Feelings On Kawhi Leonard
Despite Leonard missing so much time, Durant remains a very big admirer of his. KD had Leonard on his Mount Rushmore of small forwards, and after their game against the Clippers, he had some high praise for the injured star.
(starts at 4:21 mark):
“He’s an all-time great. He’s been through injuries before. He knows how to deal with his body. He knows his body better than anybody. The league is better though when Kawhi Leonard is playing. Easier not having him on the floor tonight, as we need wins, but would love to see him back soon.”
One can only wonder how much more he could have accomplished if injuries hadn’t kept him out for so long. There is no clarity on when he will get back to the court, as head coach Tyronn Lue stated there is no timetable for his return. The Clippers, for all the talent on their roster, aren’t going too far if he isn’t fully healthy, and they’ll be desperately hoping that this latest setback won’t keep him out for too long.
Not having to deal with Kawhi certainly helped the Nets in this one, as they won 110-95 to make it 4 wins in their last 5 games. They have had this good run despite Kyrie Irving’s suspension, and just like Leonard, there is no clarity regarding his return either, albeit for a very different reason. KD stated after the game that he has been in contact with Irving and added that he is looking forward to playing, but the Nets aren’t eager to have him back out on the court just yet.
If you are interested in more NBA news, follow us on Google News for the latest updates.
