Late in the fourth quarter of Game 4 between the 76ers and Raptors, Kawhi Leonard calmly dribbled the ball on the left wing as though he was killing time in line at the post office. He accepted a screen from Marc Gasol like he was taking back change from the cashier. If Leonard felt the pressure of a 3-1 deficit looming, he certainly didn't show it Sunday afternoon.
With Joel Embiid switched onto him, Leonard took a quick glance over his shoulder, realized Ben Simmons was on his way for a possible double-team and stopped on his spot for a difficult 3-pointer. (Don't let Leonard fool you — it was difficult.) Leonard drained the shot, putting enough space between the Sixers and Raptors to even the series at 2-2. He celebrated with a single fist pump, which is Leonard's version of jumping on the scorer's table.
LIVE: Today's NBA scores, updates, TV schedule
KAWHI IS KLUTCH.
— Sporting News NBA (@sn_nba) May 5, 2019
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/kne4dat9Qm
That play capped off a 39-point night and extended Leonard's run of dominance in the 2019 NBA playoffs. The former Finals MVP is averaging 32.3 points per game in the postseason and 38.0 points in four games against the Sixers. He has scored at least 25 points with an effective field goal percentage of at least 60 percent in each of his last six games. The only other guy to do that? LeBron James.
In terms of playoff history, Leonard might be having the most efficient scoring run ever.
Leonard isn't totaling empty stats. The Raptors desperately need his offensive consistency and defensive versatility. (He can easily slide from Ben Simmons to Jimmy Butler to Tobias Harris and greatly limit any of them.) Both in terms of raw plus-minus (plus-26 on vs. minus-34 off) and net rating (plus-18.2 on vs. minus-25.0), Leonard is essential to Toronto's success.
Gasol offered a basic summary of what Leonard is doing after Game 4...
Agreed, @MarcGasol, Kawhi is really good at basketball. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/5GToyDbXOk
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 5, 2019
This level of play could propel the Raptors to the Eastern Conference finals, but it has also put Leonard squarely in the middle of the best basketball player alive debate. In terms of competition, Leonard is battling the likes of Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Those three stars are in a separate tier when it comes to talent, production, impact on the game on both ends and the ability to make a playoff jump.
| Playoff Stats | PPG | APG | RPG | FG % | 3PT % | FT % | SPG | BPG |
| Antetokounmpo | 26.9 | 4.0 | 11.3 | 48.8 | 33.3 | 65.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| Durant | 35.6 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 51.5 | 43.8 | 91.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Leonard | 32.3 | 3.4 | 7.7 | 58.7 | 50.0 | 85.7 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
MORE: Steve Kerr on Durant's playoff run, comparing KD to MJ
| Advanced Playoff Stats | PER | Usage % | Win Shares | Box +/- | VORP | TS % | Eff FG % | Net rating diff |
| Antetokounmpo | 29.2 | 35.3 | 1.2 | 7.2 | 0.5 | 58.1 | 52.5 | -0.3 |
| Durant | 27.8 | 33.0 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 0.7 | 66.6 | 58.6 | +19.3 |
| Leonard | 32.1 | 33.1 | 2.2 | 11.7 | 1.1 | 70.4 | 66.2 | +43.2 |
The numbers show that, as good as Antetokounmpo has been, Durant and Leonard are different monsters. Leonard compares favorably to Durant when it comes to scoring and efficiency, which is scary considering Leonard is known more for his defensive excellence. A 70.4 true shooting percentage in the postseason could change that perception.
Durant is more comfortable as a playmaker, but Leonard doesn't have the benefit of working with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green in the "Hamptons Five" lineup. Leonard would likely be the No. 1 answer if you asked NBA players to pick the top one-on-one defender, but Durant can function as a legitimate rim protector.
The fact that Durant isn't the obvious answer in this debate speaks to just how much Leonard has improved and refined his skill set over the course of his career. He is firmly in the conversation, and if he pushes the Raptors past the Sixers, his case will only grow stronger.
