Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was at his best on Monday night, finishing with 39 points to help lead his team past the Denver Nuggets in game two of their first round series.
Leonard has dealt with injuries throughout the past couple seasons but appears to be fully back at age 33. He played in 37 regular season games for the Clippers this season, averaging 22 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 41 percent from three-point range. Leonard had five assists, three rebounds and two steals, playing in career playoff game No. 141. He shot 15-19 from the field in the 105-102 victory, making 11 of his 12 shots from two-point range.
A two-time NBA Finals MVP, last night’s game was the 36th time that Leonard has scored 30 points or more in a playoff game. He’s reached 45 points twice in the playoffs, most recently doing so with the Clippers in 2021. A six-time All-Star and seven-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive team, Leonard is in his fifth season with the Clippers. He missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season with injury.
A late-rising recruit out of Martin Luther King High in Riverside, California, Leonard enrolled at San Diego State in June of 2009. As a freshman, Leonard broke onto the scene averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds per game for a San Diego State team that went 25-9. Leonard was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year and MVP of the conference tournament in addition to earning a spot on the All-Mountain West first team.
Returning for his sophomore season with a loaded group around him, Leonard helped the Aztecs to a 34-3 record. San Diego State made it to the Sweet 16 in Anaheim before losing to eventual champion UConn at the Honda Center. Led by future NBA players Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb, who combined to score 60 points against the Aztecs, the Huskies held off San Diego State in what would become one of the more magical runs in the NCAA tournament history.
Leonard averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in year two, earning his spot as a consensus All-American. He was selected with the 15th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2011 NBA Draft who flipped him to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night. Leonard spent seven seasons with the Spurs, winning an NBA Championship and two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, kickstarting his career that is still thriving.
MORE SAN DIEGO STATE NEWS & ANALYSIS
• Report: New Mexico showing interest in transfer guard
• San Diego State’s Aztec FAST football showcase set for April 19
• Former San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn named First Team All-NBA G League
• Former San Diego State forward Chad Baker-Mazara enters transfer portal
