With over 15,000 career points, Kawhi Leonard has been an elite scorer since 2016-17, when he first cracked the code to averaging over 25 points. However, the most he had ever scored in a game in the NBA was 45, and at San Diego State was 26. Not once had he touched 50 until last night versus the Detroit Pistons.
Opposing head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had Detroit’s entire defensive scheme worried about Leonard. Double teams, triple teams, physicality, you name it, and the two-time champion refused to give the ball up amid an overheated heat-check.
Leonard finished the game with 55 points, 11 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks, cementing one of the craziest stat lines of the season. He also shot 17-of-26 from the field and five-of-ten from beyond the arc.
Thus, 14 seasons later, Leonard finally scored 50 points. It was destined to happen with how great a scorer he is, yet the two-way superstar just had to enforce his will by winning with buckets.
Kawhi Leonard’s memorable night could have turned the Clippers’ season around
The next morning, following Kawhi Leonard's dropping 55 points on the Detroit Pistons, the NBA recognized him as the Western Conference Player of the Week. He won the honor alongside Jaylen Brown by leading the LA Clippers to a 3-0 record and averaging 41.3 points, nine rebounds, and 2.7 steals; this was undoubtedly the best statistical week of his career, and he is currently 34 years old.
Defeating the best team in the Eastern Conference was a challenge, and with Leonard’s help, the Clippers are blazing with fire on a four-game win streak that leads the NBA.
Was the Clippers’ win over the Pistons a statement to the NBA? Possibly, as only seven other teams have been able to take them down.
But, there may be more to it. If fans remember, James Harden had a 50-piece last season, versus the Pistons, and that was the 48 minutes of basketball that changed everything.
Moreover, the Clippers proved their momentum is not a fluke. It will not fade away once they play an elite team, and their win streak could continue throughout the New Year.
That said, Leonard’s other-worldly scoring will be crucial for the next few weeks. He should view every night as if he needs to score 50, because with this mindset, the Clippers can triumph over every team in the NBA.