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Debunked: Viral Kawhi Leonard-Chris Paul ‘Disrespectful’ Moment, Which Sent NBA World in a Frenzy

Published 04/20/2023, 12:35 AM EDT

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After losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1, the Phoenix Suns tied the series up following the Tuesday night game. Led by Devin Booker, the Suns secured the Game 2 victory by 123-109 against Kawhi Leonard‘s Clippers. However, it wasn’t the game itself that ended up turning several heads in a mixture of surprise and shock. Shortly after the game concluded, a brief video of Chris Paul and Leonard instantly went viral. However, before the clip could prompt the NBA world to come up with any more speculations, a particular NBA Insider cleared up the reason behind the seemingly cold exchange.

Booker scored a game-high 38 points and dished out nine assists. Whereas, teammate Chris Paul added 16 points and Kevin Durant recorded 25 points and six rebounds. On the other hand, Leonard dropped 31 points in the losing effort and Russell Westbrook managed to score 25 points along with five rebounds.

NBA Insider dismissed Kawhi Leonard-Chris Paul speculation

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After quite an intense matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers in Tuesday night’s game, a short clip of Chris Paul and Kawhi Leonard immediately went viral. The video showed the two star players seemingly bumping into each other while both were headed toward their respective locker rooms.

via Imago

What left the fans baffled was their icy reaction to the ‘accidental’ bump as the players continued on their way with what looked like a sour expression on their faces. This prompted many to speculate the possibility of a feud between CP3 and The Klaw.

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However, Chris Haynes was quick enough to provide some clarity on the exchange that many regarded as ‘disrespectful’. In a recent tweet, Haynes informed that he had witnessed the shoulder bump from up-close and termed it as ‘accidental’. Furthermore, he added that ‘Chris Paul gave Kawhi Leonard a pat on the midsection and Leonard slapped Paul’s leg’ and that there was no bad beef between the two.

Fans react to the viral clip

Shortly after the video was released online, it instantly gained millions of views and fans didn’t take long to give their thoughts on the unusual exchange. Many dropped sarcastic comments such as the one that read, “Are they supposed to kiss?” Whereas, others were seemingly pumped up about the players’ ‘competitive spirit’ and wrote, “This is how it should be”.

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Moments Before Locking Horns with Kevin Durant’s Suns, NBA Fans Tear Russell Westbrook Apart for His Antics: “Scott Foster’s Legacy is On the Line”

After playing the previous two games in Phoenix, the Suns will be facing the Clippers for Game 3 at the latter’s home court on Thursday night. Who do you think will come out on top in LA? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Siyari Debbarma

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Siyari Debbarma is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports. With over 700 articles under her belt, Siyari is an expert in providing in-depth analysis and coverage of the game. Her throwback article on Dennis Rodman's plea for help garnered more than 3.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth