Kawhi Leonard led the LA Clippers to a 119-94 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday at Intuit Dome, scoring 27 points. During the postgame press conference, Leonard focused on teammate Darius Garland’s influence, saying, “especially him he’s just getting everybody involved, some open looks, three-point shots, cutting to the basket. So, you know, I like what he’s doing for everybody. It’s not just about myself.”
Leonard praised Garland’s shooting range, adding, “Oh, yeah. Yeah. I played against him. Like I said before, all-star talent, can score at three levels, get to the line, mid-range, floaters, layups, threes. So, he pretty much has it all.” He also explained how Garland’s range stretches defenses, noting, “Like I was saying, it just extends them. You know, now a pick and roll is being set higher on the floor. Everybody has more room to operate, including him.”
Reflecting on the Clippers’ team dynamic, Leonard emphasized enjoying the chemistry on the floor: “Definitely. You know, get some laughs out of it and just, you know, you see that he’s enjoying the game and he’s just loving it. You know, played with guys like that before and, you know, like I said, he’s doing a great job, man.”
Consistency remained a key theme for Leonard, who connected it to his 20-point streak and overall team effort. He said, “I mean it’s about just your consistent effort. It’s everything that’s what how you build championship habits is just coming in every night playing with a consistent mindset of being an attack more than one to defend and that’s we want our team to play that way as well. So, I just just build off of just trying really more than anything cuz the numbers will change. You never know, but as long as you stay consistent with your mindset, for me, I’m happy with it.”
Leonard also weighed in on individual accolades, including MVP and All-NBA recognition: “I mean it’s great. You know they’re individual hunters and you know everybody’s putting the work in around the league to try to be all NBA all defensive team, defensive player of the year, most improved and uh MVP like you said. So, when you’re able to get one of those accolades you know your hard work could have paid off in sense.”
Regarding league rules like the 65-game minimum for award eligibility, Leonard shared, “I don’t think that rule is changing anybody to play if they’re really hurt. You know what I mean? I don’t think it’s you know it makes sense to just try to go through a game if you’re nagging pain or it’s something that you trying to keep under control you know. So, yeah, it just is what it is you know the healthiest guys play.”
On the floor, Leonard’s leadership helped the Clippers maintain control despite Toronto cutting the lead late in the second quarter. Los Angeles shot 51% overall and 46% from three, while Toronto managed 42% from the field. Leonard’s guidance and Garland’s performance highlight the Clippers’ path toward securing a play-in spot in the Western Conference.
