Shannon Sharpe questions whether or not Kawhi Leonard’s legacy is on the line after losing Game 5 to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
Last night’s Game 5 between Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers and Luka Doncic’s Mavericks followed the script the previous 4 games had laid out in terms of the home team losing every single game. The Mavericks waltzed into Staples Center with the series tied at 2 a piece and won on the Clippers’ home floor for the 3rd time in this postseason.
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Both LA teams are now down 3-2 in their respective first round matchups and are on the brink of elimination; a surprising turnaround for two squads who were lauded for being WCF locks.
After having gone ballistic in games 3 and 4 to bring the Clippers right back into the series, Kawhi Leonard seems to have gone quiet on the offensive end of the floor yet again as he struggled to find his shot all night long. The 2019 Finals MVP shot well below 50% from the field and a measly 14% from beyond the arc.
Shannon Sharpe believes Kawhi Leonard’s legacy is on the line at the moment.
After having led the 2014 Spurs to a gentleman’s sweep over LeBron James’s Miami Heat in the NBA Finals and then getting Toronto its first ever championship in their franchise’s history, Kawhi Leonard’s resume was spotless. There was of course the strange 2017-18 season he had with the Spurs but other than that, Leonard was regarding as being a superstar who simply hands out titles to franchises.
However, after having blown a 3-1 lead in the WCSF to the Denver Nuggets last year and the going down to Luka Doncic’s Mavs this year after an underwhelming performance to take a 3-2 series lead, Shannon Sharpe is beginning to question Leonard’s legacy.
Quick question, when is Kawhi’s legacy going to be on the line, 7-19 from the floor, 1-7 from 3, air balled gm tying 3. Clippers, had a chance to take a 3-2 lead? Plus, y’all know what he did last summer up 3-1 with double digit leads in gms 5-7. Are we going to talk about it?
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) June 3, 2021
Many fans however, have disregarded this question from Sharpe as they criticized him for not bringing up the fact that LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are also down 3-2 against the Phoenix Suns and that the ‘King’s’ legacy is on the line as well.
Quit deflecting from the fact LeChina’s legacy is on the line tonight
— Dr. Sean #Steelers #Pirates #Penguins (@tworingspit) June 3, 2021
Lakers season on life support and you tweet this. Clips in 7.
— Mohamed Ahmed (@RealDealMohamed) June 3, 2021
The magnitude of which both their legacies will take a hit in terms of a first round exit are two very separate scenarios. If Kawhi Leonard were to lose to the Mavs, his place in the all time standings may not take a heavy blow. If LeBron were to not show up against the Suns in Games 6 and a potential 7, no one would consider him to be the ‘GOAT’.
