Stats (as of March 10): 26.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.9 APG, 0.5 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 51.1 FG%, 38.7 3PT%, 87.3 FT%, 61.9 TS%
As we approach the All-Star break, it’s worth checking out the LA Clippers’ top players and their performance halfway through the regular season – and no one is more mediocre than Kawhi Leonard.
Despite being an offensive juggernaut and a Clippers departure option, defense is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Leonard. And rightly so; The Claw has been a relentless defender throughout his lifetime. His length, large hands and agility make him a nightmare for pitting offensive players. When he’s off the ball, he reads passing lines as well as anyone in the league (he runs ninth in the league stealing). And unlike smaller guards with his level of defensive vision, Leonard has a size to cover more ground without doing too much.
Leonard has been involved for the most part this season, although the numbers are slightly smaller cut and dry. The Clippers post an offensive rating of 109.9 with Leonard on the floor, which would rank 11th in the league, three places higher than the Clippers overall. While this level of protection would be at the lowest level of Leonard ‘s career, it’ s hard to blame him for how bad defenses have been this year. NBA teams seem to have mastered offensive efficiency, with the highest number of three-point attempts and the average skill level that the average player carries today.
Perhaps what’s a little scary is the fact that the Clippers are a little worse in defense with Leonard on the floor in terms of the percentage of effective field goals against them. It’s a small margin, but it’s kind of weird because it’s clearly the Clippers ’best defensive player. This is probably just frozen up to Leonard playing most of his briefs against opposing starters, which is much more offensively effective.
Going straight with the eye test, Leonard looks as scared as ever. There are still very few players (if any) in the NBA who would choose the head coach of the best team to defend the opposing team on specific property to win a game. It’s safe to say that he still has the ability to turn around when he needs to and mute whoever is in front.
If Leonard ever looks uninterested in defense, it’s because he’s wasting his energy on the other end of the floor. While Paul George has been one of the most effective scores in the league this season, Leonard remains insultingly the sun of the Clippers. However, it is worth noting that its usage rate is the lowest it has been in five years. Obviously, it’s best for your best player to rub the ball as much as possible, but this stat shows that Leonard can delay his players and not worry about falling the team insultingly (LA is third in the league overall). Defenders have had some success in denying him a Leonard ball, but he has done a good job this season of finding open players when opponents put a number of players. defense to him (he gets an average of 4.9 assists assists this year).
Leonard is a few percentage points away from hitting the prestigious club 50/40/90 this season. He’s been hitting three from pick-and-roll and in transitions, but he does most of his damage in the middle of the country. Leonard has become a true master of stream jerseys, three-part threat decisions and flat-out opponents on the block. His free-throw efforts are slightly down compared to his last two seasons, but he made up for it by reducing his efficiency by two points (55.8%, the highest since it became a real offensive engine).
It may be offensive to say, but defense should not be the first thing that comes to a fan ‘s mind when they think of Leonard. He’s a scoring monster, and no other player like him in the league is on the offensive end; Kevin Durant may be more skilled and more political, but he does not have Leonard ‘s brutal strength. It will again be a nightmare for opposing defenses come playoff time. If he ‘s missed even a small step defensively from his heyday in San Antonio, it’ s more than making up on the other end of the floor.
It should also be noted that Leonard has received his fair share of injuries so far this season – as would be expected at this point in his career. Leonard is no longer just an 82-game player. While it has started to play back, it has lost time due to leg cramps, back spasms, and (not so worrying) health and safety protocols. “The best available potential” is an overused proverb, but it is an essential fact of sport. Here’s hoping Leonard stays healthy when he gets more important.
Halfway Point Level: A-
Related Articles
Betting Odds for Blake Griffin’s next team
Sources: Staples Center hopes to have limited fans for the playoffs
Three takeaways from LA Clippers’ Deflating Loss to the Washington Wizards