Kawhi Leonard ignites a stunning turnaround as the Clippers get back to winning with elite offense and a surging defense.
The Los Angeles Clippers were expected to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference this season, but after a rough 6-21 start, nobody expected them to turn things around so fast.
Los Angeles notched their seventh win in eight games on Monday with a 103-102 victory over the Golden State Warriors, pushing their record to 13-22 and climbing from 13th to 11th in the Western Conference.
Kawhi Leonard Leading the Charge
After the recent run of wins, it's clear what has led to the Clippers' turnaround, and it starts with Kawhi Leonard.
The two-time Finals MVP has been playing at an elite level that reminds everyone why he's considered one of the best two-way players in basketball history.
Leonard has been on an absolute tear during this stretch, averaging 39 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 62.5 percent from the field.
He scored a career-high 55 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons on December 29, then followed that up with 45 points against the Utah Jazz on New Year's Day where he poured in 20 points in the fourth quarter alone.
His performance against the Jazz made him just the second player in NBA history to record a five-game span averaging at least 40 points while shooting 50/40/90 and staying undefeated, joining Kobe Bryant as the only other player to accomplish that feat.
In Monday's win over the Warriors, Leonard finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks as the Clippers held on for a one-point victory.
Defense Stepping Up in a Big Way
The team's run of success started with a 103-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on December 20 that put a spotlight on their improved defense.
During this seven-win stretch, the Clippers have been much more locked in on the defensive end and have held opponents to lower scoring outputs while forcing more turnovers than they did during their early-season struggles.
When the Clippers lost at Boston back on November 16, they were in the middle of a brutal 2-14 stretch that had them looking like one of the worst teams in the league.
Now, with their defense finally clicking and Kawhi playing at an MVP level, they look like a completely different team.
Young Players Making Their Mark
Perhaps the most exciting part of this recent run has been the emergence of young players like Kobe Sanders and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who have both shown they can contribute to winning basketball at the NBA level.
Sanders, the second-round pick out of Nevada, has averaged 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game this season.
He really showed what he's capable of on Monday when James Harden was a late scratch due to a shoulder issue, as Sanders stepped into the starting lineup and responded with a career-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting along with seven rebounds and three assists.
Konan Niederhauser, the first-round pick from Penn State and Switzerland, has impressed with his defensive versatility and willingness to do the little things that help teams win.
The 6-foot-11 center provided 16 points and six rebounds in the blowout win over Sacramento and added six points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks in the victory over Utah.
Looking Ahead
The Clippers know that one good stretch doesn't make a season, but this recent run has shown what they're capable of when everything clicks.
The schedule doesn't get any easier as they head to New York to face the Knicks on Wednesday, but if they can keep this momentum going, Los Angeles could be a dangerous team that nobody wants to face come playoff time.