Kawhi Leonard attacked the rim with silent fury and surgical precision during the early rounds of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. His drives reminded fans of his peak two-way dominance.
Although he struggled with injuries all season, Leonard returned with power and urgency. His explosive form recharged the Clippers and ignited their push for NBA playoffs 2025.
Then came Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. Leonard set the tone early. He drove hard into the paint, again and again, forcing Dallas to scramble. This aggressive mindset marked a turning point.
Kawhi Leonard NBA Playoffs 2025 Start Proved He Still Owns the Paint
The launch of Kawhi Leonard’s NBA Playoffs 2025 experience was more than just an in-game return. It was about gaining back his physical area. Kawhi wasted no time in situating the paint to his liking.
LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks in game 1, Leonard attacked the rim with incredible efficiency attacking through contact, off of spin moves, and barely some wasted movement. Leonard scored 62% of his drives near the basket forcing double teams almost immediately.
People need to observe Kawhi’s powerplay which is brilliant and calculative. He uses burst off isolations and pick-and-rolls to create a direct lens to the basket.
This approach fit perfectly with the Clippers’ pace-focused game plan and effort to minimize turnovers. His early paint drives also reduced the team’s dependence on perimeter plays, especially at the start of possessions.
Kawhi Leonard’s Physical Play Raises Questions of Injuries
In the 2025 NBA Playoffs’ early going, it looked like Kawhi Leonard could possibly have turned back the clock driving hard to the basket, making contact and leading with a muted fierceness.
For brief moments, it looked like the Clippers had their leader back at full strength. But just two games later?
Leonard was marked as out with right knee inflammation which caused him to miss the remainder of the playoff series against Dallas.
He was sent home from practice with USA Basketball, prior to the Olympics in July, due to the knee, with the intent of getting it ready for the season.
Lue, the Clippers coach indicated that Leonard was doing well prior to being taken off the roster.
“He felt good, he looked good. The swelling was down. Everything was going in the right direction. So, he had worked hard to get to that point and then once you start playing, you never know what’s going to happen. But he was in position, we thought, in the right position to go forward. It was a setback. That was unfortunate.”
Clippers coach, Tyronn Lue
What’s the Outlook for Kawhi’s Return?
Kawhi Leonard isn’t rehabbing this offseason for the first time in years. He is focused on strength training and full recovery, aiming to rejoin Clippers.
He will perform full activities in training camp in October. There are no surgeries and no reported setbacks as of now.
If all goes well, Kawhi could return early in the 2025-26 season. He may enter the court after a full summer of preparation. This time, he could play without the knee issues that have troubled him in recent years.
