Kawhi Leonard stats tonight: How did Clippers star fare vs Kevin Durant-led Suns? (March 4)

Two of the decade’s premier forwards, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant, went head-to-head in Tuesday night’s matchup between the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns. Both stars were looking to regain momentum for their teams after suffering losses in their previous outings.

Durant got the better of Leonard, putting up 34 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Suns to a shocking comeback win despite trailing by 23.

Leonard finished with 21 points, shooting 9-for-20 from the field. He had a chance to tie the game in the final moments, following a James Harden intentional free throw miss, but his shot didn’t fall.

Below are Kawhi Leonard’s full stats.

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	STL	BLK	TO	PF	=+/-
Kawhi Leonard	36:39	21	4	3	9	20	45.0	1	6	16.7	2	2	100	2	2	1	1	2	2	4

The Clippers came out strong, launching an 11-4 run, sparked by new acquisition Bogdan Bogdanovic, who drilled back-to-back 3s to cap the surge.

Leonard chipped in six points in the final six minutes of the quarter, but the Suns responded with a run of their own, as Durant poured in five points to help Phoenix close the first quarter ahead 30-24.

The Clippers seized control in the second quarter, starting with a 12-3 run and never looking back, overpowering the Suns 41-19 in the period.

Leonard added five more points in the quarter, including a highlight-reel dunk, as the Suns struggled to score, with Durant managing just three points in the period.

After a back-and-forth third quarter, Durant and Collin Gillespie combined for 29 points, powering the Suns to a massive 43-22 fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

Ty Lue wants Kawhi Leonard to rebound more

Before tonight’s game, the Clippers had dropped back-to-back contests against the Lakers. In their last matchup, Kawhi Leonard recorded a season-high 33 points with 10 rebounds.

After that game, Clippers coach Ty Lue emphasized Leonard’s rebounding impact over his scoring.

“He’s going to the offensive glass. You saw him crash and explode up for some offensive rebounds. Having 10 rebounds, that’s what I kind of look at when I gauge how Kawhi’s playing — if he’s rebounding the basketball.”

“He’s coming, starting to get his legs. I’m starting to feel better and we’re going to need that.”

Tonight, Leonard grabbed just four rebounds, but one of them was crucial in the final seconds, giving him a chance at a game-tying shot at the buzzer — which he ultimately missed.