Kawhi Leonard stats tonight: How did the Clippers star fare in latest Battle of LA? (Feb. 4)

Kawhi Leonard set his sights on guiding the LA Clippers to a win over their crosstown rivals, the LA Lakers, on Tuesday night. This latest chapter of the Battle of LA carried extra weight, as the two teams were not only close in proximity but also in the Western Conference standings, with the Lakers sitting fifth and the Clippers sixth, separated by just one game.

However, the Lakers dominated from start to finish, securing a 122-97 blowout win.

Despite knocking down a 3-pointer at the eight-minute mark, Leonard struggled to find his rhythm early, shooting just 1-for-5 in the opening quarter. Meanwhile, the Lakers dominated, racing out to a 45-29 lead.

Leonard’s second field goal came in the second quarter — a driving reverse layup — as the Clippers tried to chip away at the deficit.

Although the Clippers outscored the Lakers by seven in the second quarter, the Lakers still held a commanding 73-50 halftime lead.

Offensive struggles plagued both Leonard and the Clippers. The star forward managed just five points on 2-of-8 shooting, while the Clippers as a team shot 39.1%, well behind the Lakers’ scorching 60.9%.

Leonard played his final minutes in the third quarter, adding six more points to his total, but the Lakers maintained control until the final buzzer

Below are Kawhi Leonard’s full stats.

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	STL	BLK	TO	PF	=+/-
Kawhi Leonard	22:26	11	6	2	4	11	36.4	1	2	50.0	2	2	100	0	6	0	3	1	0	-12

Ty Lue highlights similarities between Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James

Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James have long been two of the NBA’s premier forwards, each serving as a championship cornerstone for their respective teams.

During a December appearance on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” Clippers coach Ty Lue, who previously coached James in Cleveland, discussed the similarities between the two superstars.

“Kawhi, when he first got in the league, he wasn’t a shooter. Then he expanded,” Lue said (per HoopsHype). “Then he was a corner shooter, then he became better at the wings. Every year he’s gotten better and better. Now he’s a 40% 3-point shooter. He was able to take steps of being a post player getting better and better.”

“Same with LeBron. He came in the league and he wasn’t a shooter. Now he shoots 40% from three. He put the work in and so they remind me a lot of each other, like I said, when it comes to that work ethic, putting that work in and get to where they want to get to.”

Leonard and James first battled as rivals in the NBA Finals, with LeBron leading the Miami Heat and Kawhi emerging as a defensive force for the San Antonio Spurs. Now, they face off as the leaders of LA’s two franchises.