When is the world going to accept that Kawhi Leonard is the best today?

[Cavsfansince84]

This thread would make a lot more sense if the Raptors had just won the east and Kawhi were still averaging 30ppg on great %'s. op is a bit soon.

A lot of people consider Curry the best player in the league already and been saying it for years. Look at their playoffs per 100 possessions for their careers before Leonard got injured in 2017 and before Curry got Durant. They are comparable overall obviously but Kawhi has some advantages on offense. FG% Kawhi eFG% is higher and even 3 point percentage Kawhi is higher, Kawhi has the higher VORP. The defense gap is huge as well.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=1&player_id1_hint=Stephen+Curry&player_id1_select=Stephen+Curry&y1=2016&player_id1=curryst01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=Kawhi+Leonard&player_id2_select=Kawhi+Leonard&y2=2017&player_id2=leonaka01&idx=players

I know how good he's been in the playoffs before. As it relates to this year though(your words above are best today) he needs to do more in these playoffs before that title will be close to warranted.

[Nazrmohamed]

They probably will never admit it because he's sortve boring. I watched the replays of the Raptors last game and even when it was a Kuwai highlight it just didn't feel like a highlight. The guy makes so many smart plays there never seems to be a reason for him to contort his body for a play to work, no sign of actual exertion. Just good enough. Like a new Tim Duncan.

[No-more-rings]

Enjoy him while you can because he gone after this season...

I don't get why so many people assume this to be true. Like has Kawhi actually come out and said or even hinted that he doesn't want to be there next year?

If the Raps make the finals i see no reason for him to leave.

[No-more-rings]

As to the thread, he's not the best in the game but i will say people have slept on him way too much in the regular season.

Aside from a healthy Curry, Lebron and maybe Giannis i wouldn't want anyone else for a playoff run.

[Lalouie]

Just breath it in slowly and accept it. This guys off the **** charts. 31 PPG on 62% FG are you kidding me? What is he think he is? peak Shaq? He's a bad badddd man and is making even a good defender like Gordon look like a joke.

Giannis can't carry teams on his back like Leonard, shot away from winning a playoff game despite Lowry having zero points? Kawhi is shooting mostly jumpers and his FG% is 62% are you kidding me? His per is 34.8 this guy is a Michael Jordan clone just without the hype and personality, get used to him dominating in the playoffs regardless of which team he's on

when he decides to be flashy and outspoken. until then he'll have to settle on being underrated like tim

[HBK_Kliq_33]

As to the thread, he's not the best in the game but i will say people have slept on him way too much in the regular season.

Aside from a healthy Curry, Lebron and maybe Giannis i wouldn't want anyone else for a playoff run.

Curry hasn't proven to be a better playoff performer than Kawhi if you think about it though.

Curry has proven

A) to be lucky enough to not get cheap shot injured like Kawhi did

B) have a top 5 player in Durant on his team

C) have two hall of famers in their prime on his team (Klay and Draymond). Kawhi only had one and Aldridge is soft as hell. We have seen Klay take over playoff games more than Aldridge. Can Danny Green anchor a defense like Draymond? No way.

That's the advantage Curry has over Leonard. Besides that its only been a few years and too early to decide. I guess next year if Durant leaves warriors and Leonard stays on raptors, we will than have a clear cut result who's the better playoff performer.

[Da ThRONe]

Right now Leonard biggest negative is his health. Kawhi is right there with Durant, Antetokounmpo, James, and Harden.

[Wooderson]

Me to OP

Spoiler:

Thread needs a gif of Giannis posting up Kawhi and making him look like child. Dad and 8 year old levels of competitiveness.

[HBK_Kliq_33]

Me to OP

Spoiler:

Thread needs a gif of Giannis posting up Kawhi and making him look like child. Dad and 8 year old levels of competitiveness.

So he got the best of him 1 play, that doesn't make him better. Iverson crossed the **** out of Jordan. Playoffs series who performs better we will see. Leonard guarded 2014 Lebron, so he would be able to guard Giannis. Now does Leonard have energy to average 30+ PPG a whole series and guard Giannis? Maybe not but he's capable of it if his offensive load wasn't so high.

[Wooderson]

So he got the best of him 1 play, that doesn't make him better. Iverson crossed the **** out of Jordan. Playoffs series who performs better we will see. Leonard guarded 2014 Lebron, so he would be able to guard Giannis. Now does Leonard have energy to average 30+ PPG a whole series and guard Giannis? Maybe not but he's capable of it if his offensive load wasn't so high.

I'm not getting into the debate, I just enjoy sharing Giannis content

[Cubbies2120]

The world will accept it if/when Nephew outplays the 2019 MVP in the ECF then follows it up with a equally impressive showing against whoever he faces in the Finals.

[HBK_Kliq_33]

The world will accept it if/when Nephew outplays the 2019 MVP in the ECF then follows it up with a equally impressive showing against whoever he faces in the Finals.

So he can get to the finals put up huge stats but lose in 5 to Warriors and still be the best? That's what LeBron did with Irving and Irving > Lowry

Or do you expect him to actually defeat warriors? Thats a different story, if he actually beats warriors than that's a goat level peak.

[Jazz9]

So if he has an average game next time against the Magic can we say he's not the best anymore?

[HBK_Kliq_33]

So if he has an average game next time against the Magic can we say he's not the best anymore?

Sure. If you saw how zoned in kawhi was in game 2, you would realize he's not going to have an average game against magic and probably not even the rest of the playoffs.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

It's not fair, he's a robot!

[Cubbies2120]

The world will accept it if/when Nephew outplays the 2019 MVP in the ECF then follows it up with a equally impressive showing against whoever he faces in the Finals.

So he can get to the finals put up huge stats but lose in 5 to Warriors and still be the best? That's what LeBron did with Irving and Irving > Lowry

Or do you expect him to actually defeat warriors? Thats a different story, if he actually beats warriors than that's a goat level peak.

That's why I put "equally impressive showing" instead of winning the finals. I would think that Nephew outplaying the freak would give the Raps a 99% chance of winning that series. But that's not the case against Warriors, he can be the best player on the floor and still end up losing since KD and Curry have the luxury to share the load.

[sprewellchokes]

Congrats on that one win in the season series.

Thanks, from a bucks fan that means a lot. I can't wait to see you win your first playoff series in 20 years. I can already see the confetti falling.

[IAMZOOTED2]

A good start for him would be to demonstrate his durability and make an 82-game season. After that, you might throw in some form of leadership expectation, and lastly, he might actually show some (more) willingness to eat Serge's pizzas.

[Rendei]

Congrats on that one win in the season series.

Thanks, from a bucks fan that means a lot. I can't wait to see you win your first playoff series in 20 years. I can already see the confetti falling.

Hey, show some respect. It's only been 18 years.

[skones]

Congrats on that one win in the season series.

Thanks, from a bucks fan that means a lot. I can't wait to see you win your first playoff series in 20 years. I can already see the confetti falling.

Absolutely comical coming from a Raptors fan who heard the same type of BS from other fans before they went to the conference finals.