Clippers get an easy win in Kawhi Leonard's return to Toronto
The Toronto Raptors’ former franchise star keeps getting the better of them. On Friday night at Scotiabank Arena, Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers once again got the upper hand on the Raptors, topping the hosts by a 127-107 score. Leonard now has a record of 15-2 against Toronto in his career, and a perfect 8-0 record since departing for the Clippers in free agency in 2019.
Source: Daily Hive
Source: Daily Hive
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Kawhi on if it’s weird only Chris Boucher remains (for now) from championship roster: “Yeah, it is, but it’s a new NBA. Coaches and players don’t really stay with one organization. And yeah, you see it now.” – 10:56 PM
Kawhi on if it’s weird only Chris Boucher remains (for now) from championship roster: “Yeah, it is, but it’s a new NBA. Coaches and players don’t really stay with one organization. And yeah, you see it now.” – 10:56 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Asked Kawhi if it’s weird coming back to Toronto, less than 5 years after the championship, and seeing so few familiar faces (only Boucher remains from the 2019 team): “Yeah, it is, but it’s a new NBA. Coaches and players don’t really stay with 1 organization, and you see it now” – 10:32 PM
Asked Kawhi if it’s weird coming back to Toronto, less than 5 years after the championship, and seeing so few familiar faces (only Boucher remains from the 2019 team): “Yeah, it is, but it’s a new NBA. Coaches and players don’t really stay with 1 organization, and you see it now” – 10:32 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers defensive win tonight: no free throw attempts by Raptors in first or third quarters
Kawhi Leonard played all 24 minutes of those quarters. – 10:07 PM
Clippers defensive win tonight: no free throw attempts by Raptors in first or third quarters
Kawhi Leonard played all 24 minutes of those quarters. – 10:07 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers were able to keep Kawhi Leonard minutes to 30:30 (none in 4th quarter) and Paul George minutes to 28:19 – 9:58 PM
Clippers were able to keep Kawhi Leonard minutes to 30:30 (none in 4th quarter) and Paul George minutes to 28:19 – 9:58 PM
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Kawhi Leonard is now 15-2 against the Raptors, tied with Draymond Green and Rik Smits for 10th in winning percentage against Toronto by any player (minimum 10 games). Norris Cole (13-0) leads all. – 9:56 PM
Kawhi Leonard is now 15-2 against the Raptors, tied with Draymond Green and Rik Smits for 10th in winning percentage against Toronto by any player (minimum 10 games). Norris Cole (13-0) leads all. – 9:56 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Kawhi Leonard improves to 15-2 vs the Raptors over his career. Last time Toronto beat him? Dec. 9 2015 when he was with San Antonio. He’s won 10 straight meetings, including all 8 since he left for the Clippers. – 9:50 PM
Kawhi Leonard improves to 15-2 vs the Raptors over his career. Last time Toronto beat him? Dec. 9 2015 when he was with San Antonio. He’s won 10 straight meetings, including all 8 since he left for the Clippers. – 9:50 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers so determined not to bring Kawhi Leonard back in this game on front end of back-to-back that Brandon Boston Jr. is at the scorers table. – 9:44 PM
Clippers so determined not to bring Kawhi Leonard back in this game on front end of back-to-back that Brandon Boston Jr. is at the scorers table. – 9:44 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Clippers up 95-81 after 3. 19 for Goerge, 16 for Kawhi. Trent, Barrett and Schröder each have 13. – 9:21 PM
Clippers up 95-81 after 3. 19 for Goerge, 16 for Kawhi. Trent, Barrett and Schröder each have 13. – 9:21 PM
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
This Los Angeles Clippers roster has players who have made 32 all-star appearances. Raptors have none, though Scottie Barnes has a shot at his first this year. Clips also have 2 MVP winners and Kawhi (two-time Finals MVP). Three Clippers are on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. – 8:37 PM
This Los Angeles Clippers roster has players who have made 32 all-star appearances. Raptors have none, though Scottie Barnes has a shot at his first this year. Clips also have 2 MVP winners and Kawhi (two-time Finals MVP). Three Clippers are on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. – 8:37 PM
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
This Los Angeles Clippers roster has player who have made all-star appearances. Raptors have none, though Scottie Barnes has a shot at his first this year. Clips also have two MVP winners and Kawhi (two-time Finals MVP). Three Clippers are on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. – 8:36 PM
This Los Angeles Clippers roster has player who have made all-star appearances. Raptors have none, though Scottie Barnes has a shot at his first this year. Clips also have two MVP winners and Kawhi (two-time Finals MVP). Three Clippers are on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. – 8:36 PM
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Another big ovation for Kawhi Leonard from Raptors fans. Kawhi is 14-2 against Toronto and hasn’t lost to Raptors since 2015.
Clippers also have Norman Powell, two-time Raptor PJ Tucker, Canadian Josh Primo and former CEBL MVP Xavier Moon. – 7:38 PM
Another big ovation for Kawhi Leonard from Raptors fans. Kawhi is 14-2 against Toronto and hasn’t lost to Raptors since 2015.
Clippers also have Norman Powell, two-time Raptor PJ Tucker, Canadian Josh Primo and former CEBL MVP Xavier Moon. – 7:38 PM
Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Lots of cheers for Kawhi Leonard tonight. Quite a bit of booing for James Harden during lineup announcements – 7:36 PM
Lots of cheers for Kawhi Leonard tonight. Quite a bit of booing for James Harden during lineup announcements – 7:36 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Kawhi is welcomed by the Toronto crowd with a loud applause in the starting lineup intro. – 7:36 PM
Kawhi is welcomed by the Toronto crowd with a loud applause in the starting lineup intro. – 7:36 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
STARTERS 1/26
LAC
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Mason Plumlee
Terance Mann
James Harden
TOR
RJ Barrett
Scottie Barnes
Thaddeus Young
Gary Trent Jr.
Bruce Brown – 7:07 PM
STARTERS 1/26
LAC
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Mason Plumlee
Terance Mann
James Harden
TOR
RJ Barrett
Scottie Barnes
Thaddeus Young
Gary Trent Jr.
Bruce Brown – 7:07 PM
Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Clippers coach Ty Lue says Paul George is available but will have some restrictions. Kawhi Leonard will play too. – 6:03 PM
Clippers coach Ty Lue says Paul George is available but will have some restrictions. Kawhi Leonard will play too. – 6:03 PM
Payal Doshi @PayalDoshiTV
Ever since becoming a Clipper, Kawhi has been undefeated against his former squad the Raptors (7-0). – 5:11 PM
Ever since becoming a Clipper, Kawhi has been undefeated against his former squad the Raptors (7-0). – 5:11 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
The most important ability is availability and Kawhi Leonard — in the lineup tonight vs. the Raptors — is on pace to tie a career-high for games played this season. No wonder the Clippers are looking like title favourites: sportsnet.ca/nba/article/wi… – 2:06 PM
The most important ability is availability and Kawhi Leonard — in the lineup tonight vs. the Raptors — is on pace to tie a career-high for games played this season. No wonder the Clippers are looking like title favourites: sportsnet.ca/nba/article/wi… – 2:06 PM
Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
NEW:
NBA people thought Lawrence Frank was nuts for making the James Harden deal… “We all thought Harden was playing like he was done.”
But he’s fitting in — and with Kawhi and PG healthy and Russ off the bench, the Clippers are looking like a threat.
bit.ly/498EcsX – 12:49 PM
NEW:
NBA people thought Lawrence Frank was nuts for making the James Harden deal… “We all thought Harden was playing like he was done.”
But he’s fitting in — and with Kawhi and PG healthy and Russ off the bench, the Clippers are looking like a threat.
bit.ly/498EcsX – 12:49 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Kawhi Leonard is back, and he’s playing like the Kawhi of wayyy back — dominating at both ends and rarely missing games. Will he finally win the title he’s kept missing since he left Toronto? sportsnet.ca/nba/article/wi… – 10:45 AM
Kawhi Leonard is back, and he’s playing like the Kawhi of wayyy back — dominating at both ends and rarely missing games. Will he finally win the title he’s kept missing since he left Toronto? sportsnet.ca/nba/article/wi… – 10:45 AM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
NBA steals leaderboard:
1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 98
2) Matisse Thybulle — 68
3) Donovan Mitchell — 64
T-4) Kawhi Leonard — 63
T-4) Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — 63
T-4) Paul George — 63
A guy averaging 31 points a game has 30 more steals than anyone else. – 9:51 AM
NBA steals leaderboard:
1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 98
2) Matisse Thybulle — 68
3) Donovan Mitchell — 64
T-4) Kawhi Leonard — 63
T-4) Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — 63
T-4) Paul George — 63
A guy averaging 31 points a game has 30 more steals than anyone else. – 9:51 AM
More on this storyline
Josh Lewenberg: Kawhi Leonard on reception from the fans: “Everybody knows what I’ve done here and how special that year was, and they’re very thankful for it. So, yeah, every time I come I get good praise.” -via Twitter @JLew1050 / January 26, 2024
Ohm Youngmisuk: Kawhi Leonard had a triple-double on Wednesday. James Harden had one tonight. This is the 2nd time Clippers had a triple-double in consecutive games in franchise history (Ron Harper and Mark Jackson in ‘94). Ty Lue said players are more comfortable with spacing and handling doubles. -via Twitter @NotoriousOHM / January 26, 2024
Ohm Youngmisuk: Ty Lue said Kawhi Leonard didn’t play in the 4th because the Clippers have a back-to-back tomorrow in Boston and they were hoping to get him some rest. Kawhi played 31 minutes. Ty also said Paul George came out of the game feeling good. He played 28 minutes. -via Twitter @NotoriousOHM / January 26, 2024