KAWHI LEONARD
It only makes sense that we start at the top.
Basketball is a game where having the best player on the court gives you a great chance of winning. This playoffs, the Raptors had that guy. It was Kawhi Leonard.
He was, far and away, the best Raptor during the regular season and that success carried over into the playoffs. In fact, he’s been regarded by most as the best player in the entire postseason. And, for good reason – In a selection of series that featured Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Kawhi was the best out there.
Throughout the most important 24 games of the season, he averaged 30.5 points on a 49/39/88 shooting split, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Not only did he provide that offensive production but he also led the Raptors to the fourth-best defense.
Going beyond the numbers, his impact on both ends by just being on the floor meant so much to the Raptors. On offense, his presence was enough to open up the floor for his teammates by attracting double and sometimes even triple teams.
Defensively, his expertise allowed Nick Nurse to deploy an aggressive – or “janky” – style of play. Then, when needed, Kawhi stepped up and took on whatever the toughest defensive assignment was. More than anything, when he was out there, it felt like everything was going to be okay.
He’ll get the most credit for what his numbers say but his calm and collected leadership was something special in its own right. Not only did it show through his own play – being able to take over time and again when the pressure was at its highest leading him to have some of the best clutch numbers in the playoffs – but the rest of the team bought in as well.
After one of the most exciting wins in this franchise’s history – bringing the Raptors one win from an NBA championship – the team, led by Kawhi, kept the mindset of a stone-cold killer:
A win away from a championship and not a single smile. Boys are locked in! pic.twitter.com/XCzbxdpKjh
— Yahoo Sports Canada (@YahooCASports) June 8, 2019
That mentality and influence only really comes from one thing: experience. Kawhi brought that with him and more importantly extended it through to his teammates.
Not to mention, he had some of the greatest moments in the history of Toronto sports. Dunks on Embiid and the Sixers, the dunk on Giannis, oh and just the biggest shot in Raptors history.
If the Raptors didn’t have Kawhi Leonard, the NBA Finals – let alone actually winning the championship – never really would have been in sight. He’s the reason they got where they did and you can thank him for bringing home the teams first “Larry O-Bee” trophy.
Signature Moment: “The Shot” or hoisting the Finals MVP Trophy