LA Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Named to NBA All-Bubble Second Team
LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA's All-Bubble Second Team on Saturday afternoon.
The two-way star posted averages of 28.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists across six games and connected on 48.5% of his attempts from three-point range.
Leonard's highest-scoring game came on Sunday, when he dropped 39 points on the Brooklyn Nets in a four-point loss. He was locked-in on both ends of the floor that night, picking up four steals as well — one shy of his season-high.
The All-Bubble Second Team is rounded out by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis, Michael Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert, while the First Team includes Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, TJ Warren, Luka Doncic and James Harden.
As great as Leonard was, some Clippers fans were a bit surprised to see Paul George left off the list. Now that he's healthy, Leonard's co-star has played some of his best basketball of the season in the bubble, averaging 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists across six games. Additionally, George is shooting a blistering 50.0% from deep on 8.0 attempts per game.
That said, earning a spot on the All-Bubble team obviously isn't what the Clippers came to Orlando to achieve.
LA clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with its 124-111 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, forcing a first-round matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. The team has much bigger goals in mind.
"We want to win a championship," George said on Saturday. "That's the reason we committed to be here. It's as simple as that. We should have one goal and we have one goal, and that's to win it."
Leonard, George and the rest of the team will begin their hunt for an NBA title on Monday, when they face off with the Mavericks in Game 1.