Kawhi Leonard took responsibility for the Clippers struggling to overcome the Mavericks after falling to a 96-93 loss in Game 2 of the series. While he stressed the importance of the team coming together as a whole, he mentioned how he has to push through feeling winded and find a way to win games.
"It's my first game in 20-something days... We’ve got to be better as a unit, overall. It starts with me. Even if I’m winded, I have to find a way.”
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Leonard was also upset with the Clippers' fourth-quarter execution, as they came into the quarter with a one-point lead but lost the game.
"Keep trying to get our rhythm back and obviously, try to win the basketball game. We got pretty stagnant tonight in that fourth quarter."
The biggest question around Leonard recently has been his health, as the Clippers star didn't play a game from the first week of March to Game 2. He opened up on the status of his health after returning to the court in Game 2.
“Just trying to make sure I can get into the game and play. That's what last week's been about, just trying to get back on the floor... Not really (if he's been practicing much). I've just been rehabbing and trying to get on the floor. But we still got more games to play, more time to get better and that's what I'm focused on.”
Leonard had a disappointing night, ending with 15 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. He struggled to find his rhythm offensively while having flashes of great defense but not enough to stop Dallas from walking away with this win.
Kawhi Leonard Is The Biggest Threat To The Mavericks
If Kawhi Leonard is having bad offensive games like the one last night, the Mavericks will easily win this series. We have seen him be the difference-maker in the past, averaging 32.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over the 2020 and 2021 playoff matchups
It's clear the Mavericks have a lot of respect for Leonard, with Luka Doncic even complimenting the star forward for being a playoff riser when he's locked in.
“He's an unbelievable player. We all know when the playoffs come, he's even better. He's locked in offensively and defensively, so it's really tough to stop. I learned a lot playing against him. He's an unbelievable player.”
One of the reasons the Mavericks claim to have struggled in Game 1 was the lack of Kawhi Leonard, as their game plan included Kawhi's presence. They proved that they were well-prepared for the Clippers with Kawhi, as indicated by their Game 2 performance.
The team managed to stun the Mavericks by playing a far more aggressive brand of basketball in Game 1, so they need to adapt things from their game plan for that contest to future matchups with Kawhi in the lineup. If Leonard can't give them production, this series might be impossible for the Clippers to win.
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