Kawhi Leonard Carrying the Load We Thought He Would
Could he do it every night?
That's the question that's followed Kawhi Leonard since the preseason, on the heels of a Finals MVP performance that secured the San Antonio Spurs their fifth championship in lopsided fashion. This team's ability to remain a contender hinged on Leonard's ascension.
After a rocky return from a hand injury that sidelined him in December and January, the 23-year-old strung together the longest consecutive-game streak (six) in which he's scored at least 20 points. The run ended with Sunday's 123-97 romp against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Leonard collected 15 points, six rebounds and tied a career high with five steals in just 25 minutes.
He's averaging 21.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 steals in six March appearances, showcasing his elite two-way potential.
Put simply, he's doing it every night.
The Approach
That was the challenge head coach Gregg Popovich posed to Leonard at Spurs media day in late-September.
"I'm probably going to talk to him more about consistency now," Popovich told reporters at the time. "He's reached a certain level, and if you look at those last three games [of the Finals] he played, they were pretty special.
"But to be in that top echelon of players in our league, it's a huge responsibility to have to come and do that every night," Popovich added. "The Duncans, the Durants, the Jameses and all those kinds of guys do it night after night after night, and it's a huge responsibility."
For the last six or seven games, the numbers show Leonard to be accepting that responsibility. You see it in his play even if it doesn't show in his demeanor.
| Date (Opp) | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
| 2/27 (SAC) | 17 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2/28 (PHX) | 22 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 3/4 (SAC) | 21 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 3/6 (DEN) | 25 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 3/8 (CHI) | 20 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3/10 (TOR) | 24 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 3/12 (CLE) | 24 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 3/15 (MIN) | 15 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
The fourth-year pro doesn't draw attention to himself, excepting his penchant for an enthusiastic dunk here and there. He's professional, Spurs-like, even-keeled.
"He's so quiet it's unbelievable,'' Popovich said in January, per NBA.com's Ian Thomsen. "You could get him wrong, just thinking that he's surly or whatever. But he's really quiet, really respectful and he really cares.''
One can tell just how much Leonard cares by watching his meticulously good defense, the thing that gained him initial notoriety as he was assigned to guard to likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Now the San Diego State product is expected to lead on both ends of the floor, and he is.
Though his perimeter shot has eluded him at times this season (perhaps in part because of injury rust), Leonard has answered the bell in a big way. He's the Spurs' leading scorer with 15.8 points per contest, and he's looking for his own shot far more aggressively than he did a season ago.
More than any number can explain, the difference is largely in Leonard's approach. He's regularly operating out of the post and on the wing, creating his own opportunities off the dribble and assuring San Antonio a scoring option when the ball movement breaks down. He's also showing a willingness to take shots early in a possession, asserting himself as a star-caliber threat.
This may or may not be Leonard's "breakout" season, but it's starting to look like a pretty good one.
The Impact
At his very best, it's obvious why Leonard is a huge asset. He plays like a big man but has three-point range. He's good at slashing and finishing against contact. He's an exceptional defender and rebounder. The list of perks goes on.
But the Spurs have been brutally mediocre without him this season, and that's the real testament to his value—whether he's at his very best or not.
The Spurs are just 9-9 without Leonard this season, which in part explains the team's comparatively unexceptional .631 winning percentage overall. According to NBA.com, San Antonio outscores its opponents by 9.6 points per 100 possessions when Leonard's on the floor—and by just 0.3 points per 100 possessions when he isn't playing.
It's a stark contrast, and it's forced Popovich to play Leonard a career-high 32.1 minutes per contest, a high mark amid an ensemble cast that shares playing time so equitably.
So it's no coincidence that the Spurs rattled off six straight wins and an overtime loss (to the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers) during the best stretch of Leonard's career.
This has most certainly been him at his very best, a tenacious mix of one-on-one play, fast-break action and solid spot-up shooting. We've seen the full range of Leonard's offense, and the Spurs machine has started churning again as a result—posting at least 112 points in each of the last six games.
Tony Parker's improved play deserves its share of the credit, but Leonard has become a more-than-worthy co-star at the very least.
For all their mystique, the Spurs formula has a lot to do with how the stars perform. Right now, they look just fine.
The Only Question
Can he keep doing it every night? The most recent success represents a relatively small sample size, and one naturally wonders how long all this will last.
Leonard could have a monstrous March, feasting on a relatively weak stretch of schedule highlighted only by a couple of meetings with the Dallas Mavericks, a visit to the Atlanta Hawks and a home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The rest of the league may want to pay attention.
If Leonard builds momentum and confidence going into the postseason, we could see a repeat of those Finals—regardless of San Antonio's seeding. If he loses some steam, the Spurs suddenly look pretty mortal.
Can Parker still take over a seven-game series? Will the shooters hit their three-pointers with sufficient volume? Without Leonard spearheading the offense, these questions become more urgent. If his mid-range or three-point game falters, there's more pressure on the famed system. It has to be virtually perfect.
Sometimes it is.
But Leonard creates margin for error. He can will his own shot, the kind of skill that—along with everything else—will translate into a very lucrative contract this summer.
And perhaps a few more heroics in the meantime.
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