Kawhi Leonard delivered another great performance last night, leading the Los Angeles Clipppers to 115–96 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Leonard continues to play “in a trance,” relentlessly punishing opposing teams. After a slow start to the season—primarily from a team standpoint—the Los Angeles Clippers have completely turned things around, largely thanks to Leonard’s brilliant form. He has now firmly established himself as the team’s No. 1 star without any question, following the departure of James Harden.
The Clippers dominated Minnesota last night, with Leonard posting an eye-catching stat line: 41 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, while shooting 14-of-30 from the field. It was his fourth 40+ point game of the season, already a personal best—and one he achieved before the All-Star break.
Claim Now Interestingly, Leonard has recorded more 40-point games this season (4) than he did combined during the two seasons in which he was named NBA Finals MVP (2). Those came in 2014, when he won the title with the San Antonio Spurs, and in 2019, when he reached the top with the Toronto Raptors.
What could still be a cause for concern for “The Claw” and Los Angeles Clippers fans is the fact that the front office decided to essentially dismantle the roster during the NBA trade period. First and foremost, James Harden was traded at his own request, with Darius Garland arriving in return. Ivica Zubac was also moved to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson.
At first glance, these moves make it seem like the team has weakened, or at least brought in players with a lower profile. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean the newcomers won’t fit even better or inject fresh energy into the roster. However, these were certainly not the moves anyone expected—especially the departure of James Harden at a moment when the team had finally started trending upward.
Kawhi Leonard is averaging 27.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists this season. After the win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Clippers improved to a 25–27 record, which is currently enough for ninth place in the Western Conference.
NBA trade deadline 2026: The five moves that will shape the rest of the season
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) February 8, 2026
✍️ @ToniLazarusic https://t.co/5YPs2mKan6
These are the five most important deals.
Basketball Sphere explained WHY:
🔄 James Harden to the Cavaliers, Darius Garland to the Clippers
🔄 Jaren…
