NBA Player Power Rankings: Rested LeBron James Thriving
9. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Last Rank: No. 9
Position: Small Forward
Age: 24
Slash Line: .503/.500/.851
Season Averages: 33.8 MPG, 21.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 2.0 3PM
Kawhi Leonard had a rough week, and that doesn’t have much to do with what happened on the court. It wasn’t his most statistically prolific seven days, but that shouldn’t concern his supporters or fuel his skeptics.
Leonard was battling a stomach illness that forced him to miss a game and sapped the energy out of him against the Toronto Raptors.
A healthy Leonard put 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block on the board against the Memphis Grizzlies. He struggled to score in his other two appearances, but still managed to maintain a high level of defensive effectiveness and productivity on the boards.
His nine-point performance against the Toronto Raptors should hurt him in the rankings, but Leonard’s illness offers reason for forgiveness.
Thus far in 2015-16, Leonard is shooting upwards of 50 percent from the field and beyond the 3-point line. He’s scoring, rebounding, defending and shooting at elite levels for his position, and he’s doing all of this with the limitations of San Antonio’s depth.
Leonard’s well on his way to his first All-Star Game and All-NBA selections.
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