Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is making history this season. Despite the shadow of a potential scandal looming over him and the franchise, Leonard is having his best production season for the franchise since joining in 2019. He’s averaging 28.3 points and 6.3 rebounds this season, currently on a 44-game streak of scoring 20 or more points. He has single-handedly willed the Clippers from being 15 games under .500 at one point in the season to having a 34-32 record now.
Leonard’s been producing irrespective of circumstance. He lost two co-stars in James Harden and Ivica Zubac over the winter, but has continued dominating as nothing has changed. The biggest positive of all has been his health, as Leonard has missed 14 games so far this season.
His production this season means Leonard’s 44-game streak of 20+ points is the longest in franchise history, equalling Bob McAdoo’s longest streak of 20-point games. This record has stood since 1975, so Leonard was asked about his feat after the franchise’s 119-108 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
“Amazing. Thank God for being able to play consistently this year and, you know, be able to be in the conversation of the greats that used to play this game.”
Leonard put up 28 points (8-22 FG) in the history-making performance.
The Clippers are 4.5 games behind the No. 7 seed Phoenix Suns and 6.5 games behind the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves. While they’ll be hoping to make their way into the West’s top six, their more realistic goal would be to secure No. 7 to have home-court advantage in the Play-In Tournament.
The Clippers also need to be wary of the No. 9 seed Golden State Warriors (2.0 games behind) and the No. 10 seed Portland Trail Blazers (2.5 games behind), but their current form does indicate the Clippers can outlast these teams in the month that is left in the NBA season.
The Clippers have the third-easiest remaining schedule in the NBA according to Tankathon, so the franchise will be preparing to maximize these results and earn a Playoff spot. They may have to consider load-managing Leonard down the stretch to make sure he’s available at 100% for the postseason, but they need to first secure a spot in the postseason before considering avenues like this.
Thankfully, the stars the Clippers acquired over the winter are also finding their rhythm on the court. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 19.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 14 games since joining the team, while guard Darius Garland is coming off a foot injury and has still averaged 17.8 points and 5.8 assists in five games.
Leonard is the piece that makes the Clippers an elite team, so the franchise will do everything in its power to protect the 33-year-old forward. Their best Playoff run in the Leonard era came with a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2021, but Leonard got injured halfway through that run, with Paul George leading them past the second round that season.
This is Leonard’s opportunity to have a signature Playoff moment with the Clippers, as he’s only had disappointing ones so far (outside his 2020 and 2021 series wins over the Dallas Mavericks).
If the Clippers sneak into the Playoffs through the Play-In Tournament and then script an upset over either the OKC Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard will be solidified as one of the greatest Clippers of all time. Who knows, a Playoff run could even make the eventual punishment over the Aspiration deal worth it for both the player and the franchise.
Leonard can break McAdoo’s record in the Clippers’ next game against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. If he’s rested for this back-to-back, he’ll have a chance to break it on Monday against his former team, the San Antonio Spurs.
