The LA Clippers entered Denver in a must-win Game 5 against the Nuggets on Tuesday night, instead, they put up one of their most disappointing games of the season.
From the moment the game began, the Clippers looked like a team lacking the hustle to win a game. They played their worst defense of the playoffs, allowing numerous wide-open dunks in the first quarter. Fans were hoping for a bounce-back game after a heartbreaking Game 4 loss, but instead were treated to an incredibly embarrassing performance.
For as bad as the Clippers played, Kawhi Leonard wasn’t as awful as his All-Star teammate James Harden was. Leonard put up 20 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal on 53/25/43 shooting from the field.
Kawhi Leonard tonight:
20 PTS
9 REB
11 AST (playoff career-high)
2 BLK pic.twitter.com/7COOlwFUq1— Real Sports (@realapp_) April 30, 2025
Leonard also moved up in the all-time playoff rankings, moving up to being tied at 57th place with 144 playoff games. He is tied with Reggie Miller, George Hill, and Charles Oakley.
The biggest issue with Leonard is the fact that Clippers fans have been waiting nearly five years for him to have a healthy playoff run. Previously, when Leonard was healthy in the playoffs, he looked like a top-5 player in the NBA. He hasn’t looked anything like that in this series, outside of Game 2.
The Klaw 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/BqTBI3aN97
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 30, 2025
For the Clippers to be successful, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have to be better than they’ve been playing. Otherwise, this series is already over.
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