Ranking each Western Conference playoff team based on their best player

5. Los Angeles Clippers

Best player: Kawhi Leonard

When healthy, Kawhi Leonard is arguably a top five playoff performer not only in the Western Conference, but in the entire NBA. Leonard takes his game to another level on both ends of the floor.

For his playoff career, Leonard is shooting a blistering 51 percent from the field, 41 percent from three-point range while averaging at least 22 points per game in every playoff run he has played in since the 2015-16 season. Leonard also averages about two steals per game and a block per game as well, often taking on the tougher perimeter assignments.

The only knock on Leonard is health. He has not been healthy for a full playoff run for the past four seasons. In 2021, he injured his knee against the Utah Jazz in the playoffs, which caused him to miss the entire 2022 postseason as well. In 2023, he got off to a dominant start in the first two games against the Suns, averaging 35 points per game, but he got hurt and missed the rest of the series and the Clippers lost in five games.