Leonard leads a Clippers rout
The former Spur ignores boos to score 25 points
As he’s apt to do, Kawhi Leonard unspooled his full repertoire in a return in San Antonio, where he played his first seven seasons, won his first of two NBA titles, and where he was booed once again Wednesday.
In this latest return to the Alamo, he led the Clippers to their third consecutive victory, this one a nodoubt-about-it, wire-to-wire 134-101 win.
The teams will have 24 hours to make adjustments before returning to AT&T Center for a rematch today — shortly after the NBA deadline expires — either with the same personnel as they did Wednesday, but perhaps not.
The Spurs (22-19) will expect to have their hands full again with Leonard, of course, who on Wednesday was efficient, effective and darn near everywhere.
He was almost mean, the way he punished his former team, dunking on the Spurs once, twice, thrice, poking away passes and pestering dribblers, and, on occasion, single-handedly controlled rebounds and dished passes to open shooters.
His line in this one was a clinicial 25 points on 9-for12 shooting, including 2 for 2 from 3-point range. An apropos tally, considering that coming into Wednesday’s win, Leonard had averaged 25.9 points in seven games against the Spurs — more than against any other team.
It was, in regard to Clipper lore, his 55th consecutive game with at least 15 points, the third-longest streak in team history and the longest since World B. Free hit that 15-point threshold in 64 straight games between Nov. 2, 1978 and April 1, 1979.
Spurs fans haven’t forgiven Leonard for his trade demand and subsequent departure to Toronto after an his injury-riddled 201718 season, when he played only nine games. Even a couple seasons removed, he was booed during pregame introductions Wednesday and each time he touched the ball. But with a crowd of just 3,224 constituting a sellout in the coronavirus-afflicted season, the jeers were not as loud as his three previous visits and waned as the Spurs’ hopes faded, thanks largely to Leonard.
He added five steals for the 25th time in his career, bringing his career total against the Spurs to 22.
“Very important,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of his superstar’s tone-setting defense. “Guarded their best player, DeMar DeRozan. Kawhi took the challenge and whenever he starts the game it sets the tone for us, he gets everybody else to follow him. We need that every single night, he’s been doing it for us in every way.”
He had plenty of help from his teammates, who forced 16 turnovers while committing only eight giveaways of their own.
“Just, active. Disruptive. Brought a physicality to the game,” Lue said. “And on the offensive end for us, only had eight turnovers, that’s good as well. We talked about that before the game. But just being into the bodies, being active.”
Collectively, the Clippers shot 55.7% from the field (49 for 88) and 51.5 (17 for 33) from 3-point range, making it the ninth time they’ve eclipsed 50% from deep this season, the most in the NBA.
Marcus Morris Sr. went 5 for 7 from long range and scored 20 points. Paul George added 17 points, Lou Williams added 16, Ivica Zubac 14 and Nicolas Batum 13.
Williams’ tally also carried historical significance.
His output Wednesday brought his career total to 15,000 points for his career, making him one of 13 active players with that many — and the only player since 1970-71 (when they started keeping track) to reach that milestone in fewer than 400 games as a starter.