It’s not often that Kawhi Leonard showers praise on an opponent, but Luka Doncic was good enough against the Los Angeles Clippers that it was warranted Sunday.
Though the Dallas Mavericks lost the series to the Clippers in seven games, Doncic was brilliant. He averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds over the seven games, and did so despite battling a painful neck issue that visibly limited him at times.
After the game, Leonard admitted Doncic had been outstanding and credited him for doing “everything” for the Mavericks during the series.
Kawhi on Luka: "He did everything. I don't know how many 40-point games he had, I believe three or four. … Just doing it all for his team. he's a great player and we're going to see him for many years to come. He's playing at his own pace and making it look easy out there."
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) June 6, 2021
Leonard certainly wouldn’t offer up this praise for just anybody. Plus, as a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, he knows how tough it is to play at this stage of the season. If he’s impressed, everybody else probably should be too.
It’s certainly clear that Doncic won more respect from both of the Clippers’ stars during the series, though it’s not really clear if the feeling was mutual.
