Kawhi Leonard praised the Clippers’ team effort after Wednesday’s 105-102 win over the Houston Rockets. “It was great. We did the same thing last night. Tonight we capitalized a little bit more and we were able to get the win,” he said.
Leonard highlighted the importance of each victory for the team’s playoff positioning. “Every win is important for us, whoever we’re playing. Because of the seed that we’re in right now, we want to move up, try to get out the play-in.”
The forward also shared his thoughts on playing alongside new teammate Bennedict Mathurin. “It’s been good. You know, aggressive player on the offensive end. Did some great jobs tonight on a few possessions on the defensive end, getting some steals in that fourth quarter, getting an open court foul, knocking down his free throws, getting to the paint.”
Leonard noted that Mathurin’s impact should grow with experience. “He’s been great so far. So, he’ll get better as time goes on. It’s only been what, 48 hours.”
Reflecting on his own performance, Leonard scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, including 19 points in the fourth quarter. “We did the same thing last night, but tonight we capitalized a little bit more,” he repeated, underscoring the importance of finishing strong in tight games.
Leonard also looked ahead to the All-Star weekend in his hometown of Los Angeles. “Well, just the fans, you know, giving back to the fans, the kids. When I was growing up, I loved going to the games and the convention center and seeing some type of NBA player. So, just giving back to the fans and having fun in that basketball game.”
The Clippers overcame a 13-point deficit late in the third quarter, fueled by a 12-0 run highlighted by Leonard’s defense and transition scoring. His late three-point play with two seconds left sealed the victory and extended his career-best streak of 20-point games to 33.
Los Angeles improved to 26-28, holding a Western Conference play-in position, while Houston dropped to 33-21. Leonard’s comments emphasized both team cohesion and personal milestones as the Clippers approach the All-Star break.
