Kawhi Leonard scores 39 points as Clipper’s series with Nuggets

Denver – Kawhi Leonard was hobbled last year at that time. It was painful to observe how he tried to play the inflammation in his right knee before the La Clippers finally switched him off in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks before the game 4 of their playoff loss.

It took months for Leonard to recover from his injuries. So long that the Clipperers had to continue and find out how they should play for the first part of this season without him, and reporters have basically stopped asking coach Tyronnue about updates.

But behind the scenes Leonard worked to return to a physical form so that he did one night like Monday in the 105-102 victory of the Clippers against the Denver Nuggets in game 2 of her playoff series of the first round in the Ball Arena.

“I am only glad that I can move,” said Leonard, after having scored 39 points out of the field on an efficient 15-against-19 field. “This is what I am proud of is just healthy. I have seen this playoff games and series in the past two years. That’s why it feels good for me, no matter how the game works.”

Leonard exposed himself 23 days because in his right knee he tried to prepare for the playoffs last season, just not to react well and to be excluded for the series. At that time, it felt like closing a championship window that had formed when he joined Paul George in 2019 and added James Harden in one trade on October 31, 2023. George went as a free agent last summer. Leonard and Harden re -signed in team -friendly contracts.

Leonard was able to play in just 37 games this season and tried to get in good enough condition to help the clipper in the playoffs. So far it answers.

“Tonight, S —, I don’t have the feeling that he missed a shot,” said Harden about Leonard, who made his first six shots, missed a 3 pointer, then scored six in a row and at the end 51 of the 105 points of the Clippers (49%) scored or supported.

“His ability to make the shot is elite,” continued Harten. “And that is the aggressiveness we need from him. It doesn’t matter what is going on or who protects him, he has just come to a place and opened up. He is a big player.”

Leonard was equally dominant in the defense and kept the nuggets as the main defender to five points (2 out of 12 field goals). He also found a huge theft of a Nikola Jokic Pass (his seventh turnover of the game) with a 38 -second lead and the clipper, which adhere to a three -point process.

Leonard said that he is trying to concentrate on what is in front of him, be it the next piece or the next game. He does not allow himself to think too far ahead or to think too deep about where he was. But after the game on Monday – his best playoff game since he led the Clipper to the Western Conference final in 2021 – Leonard found that he thanked several employees for everything they had done to help him with his injuries in recent years.

“Everyone in the business who plays and knows how difficult it is to either return from an injury or only play in the NBA, you understand what we all go through,” said Leonard. “… I won’t play the way I was before. I could play better. I can play worse. It doesn’t matter. I have only concentrated on it now. It is another team in every situation and in the game, so I only take what is in front of me and play hard and how I said to have fun and only live with the results.”

Harden has been with the Clippers for two seasons, but said that he had learned all the work that Leonard does behind the scenes to get back to play.

“It’s every day,” said Harden about Leonard. “It is the preparation. It is like treatment, it reinforces itself, you know what I mean, it is corrections and then it goes to court and puts everything together. The happiness was not on his side or whatever you could call it. But he loves it, as you are on the farm, he is a murderer. I am glad that he is now in a good place.”

“I am only glad that I can move. This is what I am proud of just being healthy. I have seen this playoff games and series in the past two years. That’s why it feels good for me, no matter how the game works.”

Kawhi Leonard

Harden also took the opportunity to defend Leonard in front of critics who talk about the perception that he and the clipper have “invited” his injuries over the years.

“It is always negative. It is always what he gave through and what he can not only do because of something that he cannot control,” said Harden. “But we do not appreciate how great he is when he is actually out there and appears on performance like this tonight. I feel like that in the league that goes through something that is not in the hands where you cannot control. It is like it is always the negative – what we have to live with, I think in the world.

Leonard had an outstanding ray of the ride last month in the regular season and built a night like Monday. But the clipper needed every ounce of what he gave them to beat the nuggets.

Jokic recorded another triple double (26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists), but was clearly frustrated about the defensive covers and the physicality that the clipper thrown on him. He ended with uncharacteristic seven sales and even missed four free throws.

Jamal Murray added 23 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 15, but Denver had no response to Leonard on Monday evening and could not recover from his 20 sales, which led to 21 Clippers points.

The teams will have two days off before resuming their series on Thursday evening in Los Angeles.