Throughout most of the LA Clippers’ tightly contested playoff battle with the Denver Nuggets, Kawhi Leonard has approached each game with laser focus—scoring and defending at an elite level. While he’s contributed in other areas like rebounding and ball movement, Leonard’s primary mission has been clear: take control and make Denver uncomfortable.
That plan worked—until Game 5.
Denver adjusted, leaning heavily on double-teams led by Aaron Gordon, and it disrupted Leonard’s rhythm. Instead of forcing his way through, the two-time Finals MVP settled for more jumpers, and when those didn’t fall, he altered his approach entirely.
In Game 5, Leonard adopted a facilitator role reminiscent of James Harden—racking up 20 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds on an efficient night with just one turnover. But while the numbers were tidy, the result was disastrous: a 16-point loss, the Clippers’ worst of the postseason.
The reality? That version of Leonard isn’t what LA needs right now.
Denver’s Aaron Gordon opened Game 5 strong, scoring while drawing contact, and Jamal Murray closed the door, torching the Clippers for 43 points on just 26 shots. Despite Leonard’s near triple-double, the Clippers never once led.
Harden, who should’ve stepped up in the moment, faded instead. Meanwhile, Leonard’s shift in style—while admirable on paper—left the Clippers without their usual force of nature on both ends.
Yes, Leonard showed he can run the offense and take care of the ball, but Tyronn Lue needs the Game 2 version of Kawhi—the assertive scorer and defensive anchor—to show up in Game 6 and beyond.
Anything less, and the Clippers’ season will come to a crashing end. Worse still, it could trigger an offseason filled with questions about the future of the roster.
The message is clear: Leonard must lead like a superstar, not a support act. The margin for error is gone. It’s win or go home.