Kawhi Leonard’s stunning Game 2 performance involves the Denver nuggets, with center Deandre Jordan acknowledging the difficult challenge of including two final MVPs.
Kawhi Leonard led the Los Angeles Clippers to a vital 105-102 road victory, delivering an epic 39-point performance in the evening series with an epic 39-point shooting efficiency.
Appearing on the Run it Back Podcast, Jordan expressed both praise and concern about Leonard’s current form, comparing it to a championship run with his previous team.
“I’ve seen Kawi in San Antonio and Toronto. He won at those places, but some people can’t do anything about the injury. I think this year is amazing,” Jordan said.
“It felt like he didn’t miss a shot the other night. He was very efficient. We gave him different looks and started throwing different things to him, but Kauhi is a great player.”
The Nuggets veteran added a dose of realism about defending Rock-in Leonard. “You have to live with some of the shots he’s made.”
Leonard’s Game 2 efficiency was really notable. A perfect 5-5-5 from the free throw line connected to a 7-7 attempt over the arc.
Even in the Clippers’ Game 1 defeat, Leonard was more productive with 22 points with 60% shooting.
This level of performance was reminiscent of Leonard’s championship run and earned final MVP honors in both the San Antonio Spurs (2014) and the Toronto Raptors (2019).
His ability to raise his game when the stakes are the highest makes him particularly dangerous in the playoff setting.
The 2019 Raptors Championship marked the first title of the franchise in team history. The Clippers blueprint hopes that Leonard can be replicated for an organization that has never reached even the final of the conference.
With the series shifting to Los Angeles for games 3 and 4, the defending champion Nuggets face pressure to develop an effective strategy against Leonard.
If they can’t contain his offensive glow, Denver’s hopes of moving forward could escape despite having a regular season MVP with Nicola Zhokic.
As Jordan has honestly admitted, some of Kawi’s shotmaking cannot simply be stopped. Denver puts Denver in an unpleasant position that he needs to excel in other regions to overcome one of the league’s most feared playoff performers.