5 reasons LA Clippers can win 2021 NBA championship

1. Kawhi Leonard is a playoff monster

Every true playoff contender needs a player capable of dragging them across the finish line by the scruff of the neck. Kawhi Leonard is that guy for the Clippers.

While other Clippers player has to answer questions about their postseason displays, Leonard has already proven himself in that department.

Leonard’s tear in the 2019 playoffs got the Toronto Raptors to the promised land. He averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game while leading them to the title. It was one of the great playoff performances in NBA history. That stretch propelled him from an underrated star to a revered superstar.

His performance in the 2020 playoffs with the Clippers was similarly impressive, even if it didn’t end with a trophy. He averaged 28.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

Let’s go deeper into the advanced stats. Leonard has produced a game score of 20 or better in 51 of the 124 playoff games he’s appeared in. A score of 10 is average. A score of 40 is outstanding. He’s had 14 games above 30.

The series stats are impressive, but Leonard has produced clutch shots as well. Who could forget his Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers?

Los Angeles can trust they’ll get that kind of output from Leonard. It’s just not a question. If his teammates come to play, Leonard can do the rest.