Quietly, yet firmly, the Los Angeles Clippers continue to climb the Western Conference ladder.
Tyronn Lue’s team hasn’t made a lot of noise or stolen most of the headlines, yet they continue to win basketball games.
They’ve now climbed all the way to the third spot in the West, trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves by just one win.
That’s why sports analyst Skip Bayless believes Kawhi Leonard should run away with the MVP award this season if the Clippers end up in first place in the West.
Then again, Bayless did compare him to Lamar Jackson’s season with the Baltimore Ravens, stating that he’s not posting MVP-caliber numbers but is having an MVP-caliber impact on a winning team.
“If the Clippers, who have won 25 of 30, win the West, Kawhi should win a Lamar-esque MVP. He won’t have MVP style stats – neither does Lamar – but Kawhi is having Lamar’s eye-test impact on the season,” Bayless said.
If the Clippers, who have won 25 of 30, win the West, Kawhi should win a Lamar-esque MVP. He won't have MVP style stats – neither does Lamar – but Kawhi is having Lamar's eye-test impact on the season. Clips go as he goes. Right now he's scary healthy.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 5, 2024
Notably, Leonard is averaging roughly 24 points with over six rebounds, almost four assists, and nearly two steals per game.
The numbers are solid, but they are not MVP-caliber by today’s standards.
Then again, the Clippers have now won 25 of their last 30 games to reach a 33-15 record, and they’re still Kawhi Leonard’s team.
The Clippers have knocked on the door of championship contention for years now, and health was always the only thing holding them back.
Well, they’re pretty healthy now, and they look like the last team you would want to come across in a seven-game series, especially considering how better Kawhi is as soon as the playoffs start.
NEXT: Clippers Own 2 Elite NBA Marks This Year