'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The LA Clippers were forced to shelve Kawhi Leonard after his surgically repaired right knee had an inflammation. This was the same knee that had undergone surgeries to repair his MCL and meniscus so the Clippers were extremely careful. He played just one game in last year’s playoffs because that troublesome knee stubbornly kept him out.
Leonard was questionable heading into Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks but was cleared just hours before tip-off. He was solid on defense but struggled with his rhythm on the other end. There were a couple of instances when the offense stagnated when “The Claw” had the ball.
Rashad McCants, a former NBA player called out the two-time MVP on "Gil's Arena" in one specific play:
“What Kawhi is doing is what we call STOPPING THE F**KING BALL. 10 seconds on the shot clock, he dribble, dribble, dribble. … You’re wasting dribbles doing NOTHING right now.”
The play McCants talked about happened in the third quarter when Kawhi Leonard had Luka Doncic guarding him. Doncic is oft-maligned for his defense but impressed on that end in Game 2. The Slovenian was so confident that he would shoo away help when he had to take on Leonard, James Harden, or Paul George.
Leonard backed down “Luka Legend” near the right elbow but the Dallas Mavericks superstar stood his ground. The former Spurs forward didn’t have his usual explosiveness so he tried to bully his way into the middle where a triple team would converge.
McCants pointed out that he could have moved the ball as the shot clock was winding down. The play ended with Leonard missing a highly-contested jumper over Doncic.
Gilbert Arenas emphasized Russell Westbrook’s IQ in the mentioned botched play involving Kawhi Leonard
Gilbert Arenas, the host of “Gil’s Arena,” explained further how Kawhi Leonard could have done better in that play. He elaborated on how the All-Star forward could have whipped the ball to the left corner where Norman Powell was wide-open. Powell had plenty of room to shoot because Russell Westbrook cleared out the defender with a screen.
Arenas pointed out that with Powell’s defender sealed by “Brodie,” the LA Clippers had a much better shot opportunity. Also, the next time Leonard tries to bully his way inside, the weak side help wouldn’t be there as he would kick out the ball.
“Agent Zero” continued that had Kawhi Leonard made the right play, the forward would be praised for the past. Meanwhile, no one would give credit to Russell Westbrook for doing the dirty job of screening Norman Powell’s defender.
Finally, Gilbert Arenas claimed that Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic would have made the pass Kawhi Leonard failed to do. He said that that sequence was a microcosm of how the Denver Nuggets have been better than the LA Clippers.
