Reasons Behind the LA Clippers’ Emergence as the Top Team in the NBA
LA Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw is hesitant to draw comparisons to Kobe Bryant. However, he is among the few individuals who have both played alongside and coached Bryant, making him a reluctant expert on the subject.
He acknowledges that he perceives elements of Bryant’s game in the recent performances of one specific NBA star, who has quietly led the league in scoring and steals since December 20, aiding the Clippers in reviving their season from a challenging start.
This player is franchise cornerstone Kawhi Leonard. “If I were to make any comparison based on what I observed with Kobe,” Shaw told ESPN, “it would be the work ethic displayed when either of those two commits to a goal.”
Shaw has numerous anecdotes to illustrate his point, but one that stands out is from the early days of Bryant’s career when Shaw was a veteran on the Lakers’ bench. On January 7, 2003, the Los Angeles Lakers faced Gary Payton and the Sonics in Seattle.
“During shootaround,” Shaw recounted, “a reporter from Seattle remarked to him, ‘My daughter loves your game, but she thinks you lack a 3-point shot.’ Bryant responded by telling the reporter to ensure his daughter watched the game that evening. Then,” Shaw continued, “Kobe remained and shot 3 after 3 from every position on the court.” That night, Bryant set an NBA record by making twelve 3-pointers, driven to “prove someone wrong,” as Shaw noted.
This brings us back to Leonard. While the motivation may not be identical to Bryant’s from two decades ago, the skill set is comparable, as are the outcomes. The Lakers won that game by 21 points, and the Clippers, despite a 6-21 start, are currently the hottest team in the league.
Leonard — and his significant improvement in perimeter shooting — is the catalyst for this change.
FOR NEARLY TWO years, the Clippers’ coaching staff has urged Leonard to extend his shooting range. They recognized his proficiency in the midrange and his preference for dominating inside, but they also understood that their offense would flourish if he ventured outside. Additionally, they were aware of the care he took with his body and aimed to shield him from the constant physicality he faced in the paint.
Assistant coach Jeremy Castleberry has been collaborating with Leonard since his tenure in San Antonio. Coach Tyronn Lue affectionately refers to him as the “Kawhi whisperer” due to his ability to connect with Leonard.
Finally, in December, as the two discussed the evolution of Leonard’s game as he neared his mid-30s and the disarray of the Clippers’ offense, Leonard took the initiative.
“I informed TLue that I would shoot 12 3s, and he asked, ‘How?’ I replied, ‘You’ll see,'” Leonard stated.
Then, similar to Bryant in that Seattle game years ago, he went out and accomplished exactly what he had promised.
Leonard is averaging a career-high seven 3-point attempts this season, with nearly nine attempts since December 20, when he took 12 3-pointers in the Clippers’ 103-88 victory over the Lakers.
In Leonard’s account, he finally yielded to Lue and Castleberry’s encouragement because the team was in such a precarious situation that it warranted trying a new approach.
“We were in a hole,” Leonard explained. “So I aimed to identify what we needed, and I believed this was the solution. If I shoot more 3s and continue to shoot even if I struggle and the shots don’t fall, it will motivate others to shoot as well, regardless of the outcome.” Once Leonard committed to increasing his outside shooting, it unlocked the Clippers’ offense. Prior to December 20, the team ranked 23rd in offensive efficiency.
Since then, Leonard has converted over 43% of his 3-point attempts, which has drawn defenders away and created space for him and his teammates to drive or cut. The Clippers now rank second in offense, scoring nearly eight additional points per 100 possessions. They have a record of 16-3 over their last 19 games.
Moreover, this approach is less taxing on his body. Leonard’s career has been characterized by exceptional performances and significant injuries. “Ty has been emphasizing to him since I arrived about finding ways to secure easier shots without having to exert himself every single time,” Shaw remarked.
“He already possessed the work ethic and the methodology in his approach. Now Kawhi has embraced increasing his 3-point attempts and has diligently worked on it day after day with Jeremy. He has been exceptionally focused.” When Leonard is healthy and performing at this level, expectations rise for what he and the Clippers can achieve. This is why the investment made in him in 2019 has, thus far, been a significant disappointment — because, at some point each year, Leonard experiences stretches of relative health and brilliance.
Since his arrival in 2019, the Clippers have won over 66% of their games with Leonard on the court. In games he has missed, their winning percentage drops to just 49%. “This is my fifth season here,” Shaw noted. “Once I recognized how exceptional he truly was, I felt that each year we would have had a chance to reach the promised land, had not only he but our team remained healthy throughout.” This presents the ongoing dilemma with Leonard, which remains fundamentally unsolvable. When he is fit, he remains one of the most influential players of this generation. When he is not, the Clippers’ fortunes are closely linked to factors they cannot control or fully comprehend.
JAMES HARDEN SITS next to Leonard in the Clippers locker room. Recently, he has started to believe that he might be the closest teammate Leonard has ever had. However, this does not imply that they share a particularly close relationship. Neither player has visited the other’s home in Los Angeles.
“I’m still trying to decipher him,” Harden told ESPN.
In terms of shared experiences and understanding, Harden believes he may understand Leonard better than anyone else. “Being locker neighbors, I think I gain the most insight from him,” Harden stated. “Honestly, I might have learned the most from him since he entered the league.”
Lue credits both Harden and Leonard for assisting the Clippers in overcoming their early-season struggles. According to ESPN Research, among 146 two-man combinations that have played at least 700 minutes together, Harden and Leonard’s offensive rating ranks eighth, and it is the fourth best among any duo not on the Nuggets.
From what Harden has observed, Leonard’s entire focus is on maximizing every ounce of energy he dedicates to basketball, ensuring that whatever his body can still offer is available when the Clippers engage in crucial playoff games.
He avoids sugary beverages and maintains a healthy diet. Last year during the playoffs, he notably removed several bottles of Gatorade that had been left on the podium for him at a postgame press conference.
“Kids shouldn’t be drinking that,” he remarked.
In October, he invited a group of 30 local high school students to the Intuit Dome for a guided mindfulness event, which included gentle yoga and a sound bath. “If you practice this daily,” Leonard told the high school students while demonstrating a reverse warrior yoga pose, “those aches and pains will diminish.”
It’s a straightforward message, but one Leonard genuinely seems to believe — or at least hopes — will hold true for him one day.
“Most individuals wouldn’t possess the mental strength to keep returning [from injury] the way he has; they would have simply given up,” Harden commented. “But he perseveres.”
As he expresses his admiration for his teammate, Harden glances at Leonard’s locker. On the top shelf are six elegant bottles of water. Upon closer inspection, the glass bottles are from a brand called Hallstein, a premium alkaline water sourced from the Austrian Alps. A six-pack retails for $71.
“That’s the best water on Earth,” Leonard told ESPN. “It’s naturally alkaline. They don’t alter it to make it alkaline. And it’s in glass bottles, so there’s no plastic or harmful substances in it.”
Leonard’s preference for alkaline water dates back to his time in San Antonio. He particularly enjoys hot alkaline water with lime juice.
“With him, I learn something new every day,” Harden said. “I don’t even know if he tries to be [mysterious] intentionally. I just think that’s his nature. Some people are simply off the grid and prefer not to be known intentionally.”
If there is one constant in a career marked by interruptions, it is this: Teammates and those around Kawhi have never doubted his work ethic — or his commitment to doing whatever it takes to return to the game, from meditation and yoga to expensive artesian alkaline water. “He truly loves basketball,” Harden stated. “And he works tirelessly to continue playing.”
So far, he has succeeded. Since that December 20 game, Leonard ranks first in net rating among players who have logged 500 or more minutes.
The question, as it always is with Leonard and the Clippers, is whether this can be sustained.
