Top 5 drug testing performances of the NBA season

Performances so good that something must be wrong.

Following Monday’s game against the Rockets, Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was “randomly” drug tested. I say “randomly” because there was pretty good reason to drug test him after that game. Kawhi finished with 39 points (17 in the fourth) in 39 minutes, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. He hit the game-winning 3-pointer, blocked James Harden’s attempt to snatch the game back, and then iced the game with free throws. He also guarded Harden the entire fourth quarter, holding him to a measly 4 points.

In one quarter, Kawhi entered the MVP conversation that has been dominated by Harden and Russell Westbrook all season. Sounds like a pretty good reason to drug test a guy.

NBA players are randomly drug tested throughout the season. We just never hear about it because almost no one ever fails a drug test. Also, no drug test seems to come after a performance like this. No one is tweeting about Steph Curry getting drug tested after he goes 0-11 on 3-pointers (although maybe we should).

There have been plenty of great performances in the NBA this year. But there’s a difference between a “great performance” and a “performance so good you have to get immediately drug tested.”

Honorable Mentions

*Rudy Gobert’s 27 point-25 rebound game.

*Giannis Antetokounmpo every time he does something like this.

*James Dolan after he kicked Charles Oakley out of the arena.