Story by
Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard drops truth bomb following tough loss to Spurs
- Story by
- Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard drops truth bomb following tough loss to Spurs
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard drops truth bomb following tough loss to Spurs appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Though he left the Alamo City on strained terms, Kawhi Leonard has largely been complimentary of the San Antonio Spurs since a 2018 trade that sent him to the Toronto Raptors . Following a 116-112 loss in which his Los Angeles Clippers blew a 25-point lead , The Klaw didn't hesitate to praise the organization he helped lead to the NBA title in 2014.
Advertisement
Following their first meeting of the season, ClutchPoints asked Leonard if he thought the young Spurs were ahead of schedule .
"Obviously, probably nobody thought they would be this good this early. But, they've got great individual players, a great coaching staff over there. The organization always knows how to win basketball here. So, they're just putting it all together," the seven-time NBA All-Star responded.
Los Angeles ' leading scorer then singled out his Spurs counterpart.
"This team; the league is young. So it's about pace and running and if you've got a shooter at the five, like Wemby or whoever it is who can shoot threes and block shots, your chances are even higher of winning."
Victor Wembanyama scored 27 in just 22 minutes , but the 2023 first overall draft pick wasn't the only specific Spur to earn praise from the 34-year-old star.
Advertisement
"[Stephon] Castle's been playing great, had a great rookie year and made a step this year, got better. I like what he's doing on the court. He keeps getting better. It's just fun to go out there and compete against the young guys, giving us some mileage here and there," Leonard said of San Antonio 's star guard.
"When you're trying to win a game, you've got to play both ends of the floor," the two-time NBA champion added.
Leonard finished with a game high 30 points for a Clippers squad that's looking up from play-in contention at the Silver and Black.
"You never know. Nobody could say if they're ahead of schedule or not, you've just got to see how it all plays out," the former Spur concluded to ClutchPoints about the team that sits second in the Western Conference.
Advertisement
"We got stagnant, but you've got to give the Spurs credit," Leonard continued. "They're a great defensive team, got some great individual defenders. Wemby's incredible and they made us miss shots."
Kawhi Leonard downplays continued jeers from Spurs fans
Once believed to be the next face of a proud franchise, Leonard essentially forced his way out of San Antonio when he requested a trade following a prolonged dispute centered on an injury that then led to a strained relationship. Since then, the 2011 first round pick has been booed, often viscerally, in return trips to the place he won Finals MVP in 2014.
Leonard said the boo birds don't bother him.
Advertisement
"As the game starts, you hear that. But after a while, you heard cheers and I still get a lot of love when I'm in the city walking around. So, like I've said before, it's a competitive fan base, so they're not going to be cheering for you to score on the court. But after the game, it's all love."
Some, maybe many, fans in San Antonio may not agree. One thing's certain though. Leonard doesn't mind showing these Spurs love .
Related: Insane Spurs comeback win over Clippers has fans thinking NBA Championship
Related: How Spurs' Victor Wembanyama survived 'close to the hardest game of my life' vs Clippers
