Kawhi Leonard Shooting 51.5 Percent From Beyond the Arc in Past Five Games

Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers have turned things around since the start of the season. The team is currently third place in the Western Conference and each player seems to be buying into their respective role. However, Kawhi Leonard has taken things up a notch recently. He is reminding the entire league why he was once considered the best player in the NBA by many peers. While many already know about his defensive prowess and elite mid-range game, it has been his three-point shooting that has been the most impressive as of late.

Kawhi Leonard Has Been Red-Hot From Three Point Territory in Last Five Games 

Kawhi Leonard’s Efficient Scoring 

In the past five matchups, the two-time Finals MVP has stroked it from beyond the arc at a rate of 51.5 percent. Yes, you read that correctly. For many NBA players, this is great regular field goal percentage. Anything from 35.0 percent and up from three-point land in today’s NBA is considered solid. Given this context, the rate that Leonard has been shooting is in the Steph Curry realm of elite shooting. He is also averaging an impressive 31.0 points per game in the past five contests. Many questioned how Kawhi Leonard would fare this year given the league implementing new rules to minimize load management. He seems to be thriving and staying healthy as he has already played in 44 games this season. Last regular season, he played 52 in total.

The former NBA champion is having another terrific all-around campaign. He is currently averaging 24.2 points, 6.4 total rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. On top of this, he also currently possesses a true shooting percentage of 63.7 percent. Leonard is also proving his worth on the defensive end. So far this season, the former Defensive Player of the Year has held notable stars such as Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James under 10 points when matched up with them. While the Los Angeles Clippers have an outstanding squad with the likes of Paul George, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard is starting to prove again why is arguably a top-five player in the league when healthy.

Los Angeles Clippers Finally Settling In As Season Progresses 

The Los Angeles Clippers have silently crawled back to the top of the Western Conference standings. When they first traded for James Harden, many thought they would be no-better than a play-in team. However, the star talent has seemingly came together and they are buying into what head coach, Ty Lue, has been preaching. Los Angeles has +700 odds to win the title this year per FanDuel. They are only trailing the Boston Celtics (who are the favorite to win the NBA Finals), the defending champion Denver Nuggets, and the Milwaukee Bucks in this regard. If Kawhi Leonard continues to play at the level he has been playing at, then these odds should improve sooner than later. If this efficient play continues to contribute to the team’s success, there could even be eventual league MVP talks.