Paul George 24
03-17-2015, 09:12 AM
http://www.rantsports.com/nba/2015/03/16/kawhi-leonard-has-proven-he-is-the-nbas-best-all-around-defender/
Many came into this season believing that Kawhi Leonard’s performance in the 2014 NBA Finals was nothing more than a fluke. A three-game showing that, while phenomenal, hardly demonstrated why he should be considered one of the best players in the league. Sure, we all knew his defense was good and that his athleticism in the open court was occasionally breathtaking, but would we see him become a consistent threat all season long this year?
At the beginning of the season, it appeared as though Leonard would not break out. He dealt with a variety of injuries, including conjunctivitis and a busted hand, and it seemed that he may be destined to having another solid, but unspectacular season.
Now, fully healthy and taking on more responsibility to be the San Antonio Spurs’ primary offensive option, Leonard has been on a tear recently. So far during the month of March he is averaging 21.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 3.0 APG while shooting 56 percent from the field and 33 percent from outside. His mid-range game has been especially impressive, as Leonard has absolutely shredded opposing defenses thanks to a now flawless “in-between” jump shot and post hook shot move.
It is easy to see why many are now starting to finally admit that he is a superstar player (which he is), but to me, I believe it is mainly because of his defense.
Leonard has proven to everyone why he is the best all-around defensive player in the NBA. That alone makes him an elite talent, and one of the top ten players in the league. In basketball, it is easy to get caught up in offensive stats and point to why that player is one of the best in the sport. Defense, however, is harder to track. Sure, steals and blocks are recorded in the standard statistical game sheet, but things such as deflections and contested shots are often reserved for only the true stats gurus of the league.
The mainstream population simply does not pay attention to defense because it is viewed as the less interesting part of the game. Sure, “defense wins championships,” but offense is just so much more fun to watch! Because of this collective mindset it is not hard to see why players like Leonard have been cast aside as “overrated” because their offense is not the primary strength of their game.
While Leonard played stupendous defense on LeBron James in the NBA Finals last season, many forget just how well he was guarding Russell Westbrook in the Western Conference Finals when the Spurs clashed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Leonard has the physique and skills to guard pretty much any position outside of the center spot. He can keep up with quick, explosive guards like Westbrook, and he can contest and bang with either stretch-four power forwards or bulky, undersized fours. His versatility on this end of the floor is what makes him such a special player, and it is the biggest reason why the Spurs are surging with confidence as they enter the home stretch of the regular season.
Leonard’s personality is not the infectious type. He is basically Tim Duncan’s “mini-me” in terms of how he carries himself in a quiet, monotone manner, while letting his game speak for itself. He does not pound his chest after every made basket or steal, and he sometimes looks as robotic as Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator” movies.
But Leonard has transformed into a beast of a basketball player, and it is time we not only anoint him as one of the best players in the league, but also as the NBA’s best defensive player.
http://www.sportsonearth.com/assets/images/7/0/0/112564700/cuts/KawhiLeonard_tr00ug7n_0nz7vsse.jpg
http://giant.gfycat.com/FixedIncomparableHaddock.gif
http://giant.gfycat.com/BrownIncomparableCub.gif
http://giant.gfycat.com/TastyCourageousHogget.gif
Many came into this season believing that Kawhi Leonard’s performance in the 2014 NBA Finals was nothing more than a fluke. A three-game showing that, while phenomenal, hardly demonstrated why he should be considered one of the best players in the league. Sure, we all knew his defense was good and that his athleticism in the open court was occasionally breathtaking, but would we see him become a consistent threat all season long this year?
At the beginning of the season, it appeared as though Leonard would not break out. He dealt with a variety of injuries, including conjunctivitis and a busted hand, and it seemed that he may be destined to having another solid, but unspectacular season.
Now, fully healthy and taking on more responsibility to be the San Antonio Spurs’ primary offensive option, Leonard has been on a tear recently. So far during the month of March he is averaging 21.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 3.0 APG while shooting 56 percent from the field and 33 percent from outside. His mid-range game has been especially impressive, as Leonard has absolutely shredded opposing defenses thanks to a now flawless “in-between” jump shot and post hook shot move.
It is easy to see why many are now starting to finally admit that he is a superstar player (which he is), but to me, I believe it is mainly because of his defense.
Leonard has proven to everyone why he is the best all-around defensive player in the NBA. That alone makes him an elite talent, and one of the top ten players in the league. In basketball, it is easy to get caught up in offensive stats and point to why that player is one of the best in the sport. Defense, however, is harder to track. Sure, steals and blocks are recorded in the standard statistical game sheet, but things such as deflections and contested shots are often reserved for only the true stats gurus of the league.
The mainstream population simply does not pay attention to defense because it is viewed as the less interesting part of the game. Sure, “defense wins championships,” but offense is just so much more fun to watch! Because of this collective mindset it is not hard to see why players like Leonard have been cast aside as “overrated” because their offense is not the primary strength of their game.
While Leonard played stupendous defense on LeBron James in the NBA Finals last season, many forget just how well he was guarding Russell Westbrook in the Western Conference Finals when the Spurs clashed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Leonard has the physique and skills to guard pretty much any position outside of the center spot. He can keep up with quick, explosive guards like Westbrook, and he can contest and bang with either stretch-four power forwards or bulky, undersized fours. His versatility on this end of the floor is what makes him such a special player, and it is the biggest reason why the Spurs are surging with confidence as they enter the home stretch of the regular season.
Leonard’s personality is not the infectious type. He is basically Tim Duncan’s “mini-me” in terms of how he carries himself in a quiet, monotone manner, while letting his game speak for itself. He does not pound his chest after every made basket or steal, and he sometimes looks as robotic as Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator” movies.
But Leonard has transformed into a beast of a basketball player, and it is time we not only anoint him as one of the best players in the league, but also as the NBA’s best defensive player.
http://www.sportsonearth.com/assets/images/7/0/0/112564700/cuts/KawhiLeonard_tr00ug7n_0nz7vsse.jpg
http://giant.gfycat.com/FixedIncomparableHaddock.gif
http://giant.gfycat.com/BrownIncomparableCub.gif
http://giant.gfycat.com/TastyCourageousHogget.gif