Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell’s absences resulted in a lack of energy from the hosts at the Crypto.com arena. Nevertheless, there were no signs of a 93-110 blowout from the Atlanta Hawks. While Kawhi Leonard (28 points) and Paul George (26 points) combined for 54 points, no other player for the Los Angeles Clippers touched the double-digit mark.

With that, and little to no effort from the roster, Kawhi Leonard put the team’s spirit on the frontlines of the loss. During the post-game interview, he said, “I kinda felt like we were in mud tonight. We didn’t really give all the effort we could have gave.” Moreover, summarizing their offensive struggles, Kawhi blamed transition points to be the pivotal factor in the game.

The Clippers’ bad defense was seen from the tip-off. The team indulged in several one-on-one matchups;  assuming the 10th seeded Hawks to be a lightwork. As a result, the visitors torched them while shooting 48.8% from the floor and 50% from the three.

In comparison, the Clippers shot 37.8% from the field and 30.6% behind the arc. While James Harden handed out 9 assists, the team failed to share the ball collectively. The Clippers had a total of 17 assists, while the Hawks had 32.

Moreover, Harden’s offense posed another hurdle after his return from a 2 game absence. With an anticipation of boosting the squad, Harden dished 9 dimes. Regardless, he failed to connect on 7 of his first shots, ultimately finishing with 9 points.

The Hawks slightly edged the Clippers in the first quarter, scoring 31 to their 29 points. However, in the second stretch, the visitors mounted a 18 point margin at the half. All thanks to, like Kawhi Leonard said, Atlanta’s fastbreak points (20 in the first half).

Kawhi Leonard stats

In the 5 games (3 wins – 2 losses) he has played against the Hawks for the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard posts an average of 30 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4 assists (2020-2024). Moreover, he boasts a 53.6% efficiency from the floor and 55% from the three point line.

The Clippers are now on a two game losing streak, and 5-5 in their last 10 games. While Kawhi Leonard has been a constant presence as their leader, the team has been struggling to put a cohesive foot forward. While facing some of the Conference giants like Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks, Kawhi is averaging 23.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists throughout the last 10 games.

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Russell Westbrook Return: Kawhi Leonard Joins Clipper Nation In Awaiting Triple-Double King’s Come Back

His current stretch matches his season overall of 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 60+ games this season. With that, and the Clippers inability to garner wins, one can constitute the tear of the lengthy season as factors behind their recent decline.