Kawhi Leonard: Historic performance adds to loaded playoff resume

The road team is still undefeated in this first round series between the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.

Game 7 is today at 12:30 PM PT.

It felt like Kawhi Leonard won Game 6 on his own. Leonard scored 45 points on 72% shooting, hit five of nine threes, was a perfect four for four from the free throw line, and stole the basketball twice.

Kawhi Leonard is historically dominant in the NBA Postseason.

ESPN posted this stat on Twitter:

It’s supposed to get harder in the postseason, but Kawhi Leonard, who is a two-time NBA Finals MVP doesn’t respond that way.

Last year, Kawhi didn’t play like this the whole Western Conference Semifinal series, but this year, playoff Kawhi is back.

So far in this postseason, Leonard has averaged 32.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. He’s shooting over 60% from the field, 43.2% from behind the three-point line, and has posted a true-shooting percentage of 71.4%.

These are scary numbers. But along with that, the fact that he put up by far the best game of the series when his back was up against the wall bodes well for Game 7.

Kawhi proved yet again that he’s never scared of the moment. If there’s anyone to buck the trend of the home team losing every game in this series, it’s Kawhi.

In Game 6, he proved that he’s the best player in the series. He had absolutely no help from anybody not named Reggie Jackson or Paul George.

Literally, though. Nobody on the Clippers scored more than six points on the Clippers outside of those three. The bench produced a total of four points.

George didn’t even have a great game overall, despite having some big moments towards the end.

The Clippers were 5 for 25 on threes not taken by Leonard. He put the team on his back, he did it when it mattered most, and he did it on the road.

Many consider this performance the best he’s ever had. (And he’s had his share of historic moments by the way.)

Kawhi turned back into the assassin he was in the 2019 Finals. To put the team on his back when his back (and arguably part of his legacy) was already against the wall gives me no doubt.

Leonard is the best player in this series, and he will be winning Game 7.

It doesn’t matter if the bench only scores four points, it doesn’t matter if George doesn’t play his best, it doesn’t matter if Luka Doncic almost goes for 30 and a triple-double, and it doesn’t matter if his teammates brick 20 of 25 three-point shots.

The basketball Gods already tried all of those on Kawhi on Friday, and he still stood tall. I don’t know about you, but there’s no chance I’m betting against Kawhi today.