There’s a popular strain of basketball thought that attempts to assess whether certain players could be the best player on a team that wins the NBA championship, or the second best or third best player, or a starter, or in the rotation. If you can’t imagine a world in which said player fits the appropriate role that his salary and status demand, then that’s not a good use of resources.
"I think the challenge with Kawhi is it doesn't look the same… it's not as pretty. But, boy, is it effective. So where a lot of those guys that I just named are like natural God-given scorers, Kawhi isn't that. Kawhi didn't come into this league as a scorer, yet he's one of the best scorers we have in the league now."
Ahead of the 2019 NBA Finals, Golden State Warriors forward and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green was asked about the unique challenges that come with guarding Kawhi Leonard, to which he provided the above answer.
If Kawhi Leonard is a robot, he’s a terminator, sent specifically to destroy all Golden State Warriorsstanding between him and an NBA championship. The Warriors got lucky two seasons ago, when Leonard got injured in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs blew a 25-point lead, then got swept out of the round.
Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points and the Toronto Raptors moved to the brink of their first NBA title Friday by beating defending champion Golden State 105-92 in the NBA Finals.
Serge Ibaka netted 20 points off the bench and Pascal Siakam added 19 for the Raptors, who grabbed a commanding 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series, which could end with game five Monday in Toronto.
The Golden State Warriors dynasty has been solidified by its fleet of superstar talent, its uncanny ability to hit shots from range, and like clockwork in blowing out teams with sheer force in the third quarter. But in Game 4 of the 2019 NBA Finals, the Toronto Raptors beat them at their own game. Suddenly, the Warriors are in serious danger.
The Toronto Raptors can clinch their first title in franchise history when they host the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals tips at 9 p.m. ET from Scotibank Arena. The Raptors put themselves in position to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy by completing an unlikely sweep of Games 3 and 4 in Oakland, where the Warriors hadn't lost back-to-back NBA Finals games this decade.
The more Kawhi Leonard steps into the spotlight — and the more his candid moments/interviews are dissected by the masses — the less you really know about the man.
Just when you think you can peg him as the next Tim Duncan — or that superstar uninterested in fame or attention — you remember he forced his way out of a situation most conducive to that personality. It’s easy to win and hide in San Antonio. In L.A., where Leonard is reportedly keen on playing beyond this season, it’s the opposite.
The Toronto Raptors are a game away from winning the 2019 NBA Finals thanks to back-to-back wins against the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. No matter how many times you repeat that sentence, it never loses its dream-like quality.
This year's NBA free agency features several big names up for grabs when June 30 hits. Kevin Durant potentially taking his talents to Madison Square Garden has been one of the hottest topics, but it appears the team is also exploring other potential opportunities.
