Kawhi Leonard was back in the starting line-up on Tuesday when the Los Angeles Clippers took on the Raptors in Toronto which was back-to-back following their OT win against the Pistons on Monday.
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And it turns out Leonard, the $176 million bound man, had the choice of which game he’d want to play after Christmas Day. The 2019 Finals MVP who led the Raptors to their first-ever championship chose them.
“It’s always great memories coming into this arena… I would rather give the fans in Toronto a chance to see me play again,” Leonard said after the LA team’s 124-113 win over the only Canada-based team in the NBA.
Why doesn’t every superstar in the league has that privilege? Now that the Clippers have had a day of rest, will ‘The Klaw’ suit up against the Boston Celtics?
Will Kawhi Leonard play tonight vs the Boston Celtics?
It shouldn’t be tough for the Terminator of the NBA to play the indoor games, despite traveling from Toronto to Boston with continuous snowfall. They have the privilege of private jets mind you.
And from the looks of it, the 5x All-Star will play against Jayson Tatum and Co as the Clippers do not have anybody on the injury list.
The LA Clippers have a clean injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. the Celtics.
Kawhi Leonard and fully healthy Clips expected tomorrow.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 28, 2022
But after having a not-so Kawhi-game in Toronto, will the 2x Finals MVP be able to help his team continue on their 2-game win streak? Or will the 25-10 team from the East slow them down in the quest of becoming a dominant team in the West? It depends on how Leonard plays.
What are the chances of Kawhi exploding tonight?
Leonard has averaged around 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game in his last 5 outings, which wouldn’t be enough to even get an All-Star appearance this year.
That, to be fair, he won’t be eligible anyway as he has just played 14 games this season. However, his average for the season is just over 16p-6r-3a, which is not at all worth what the Clippers are paying for.
However, his 15-7-8 night in the last outing means he might have a big one in his bag for the Celtics. The Clippers will need him to deliver his best if they would want it to be a statement game.
