The “Fun Guy” is having a lot of fun in Inglewood tonight. In a shocking first-half performance, Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers have the Detroit Pistons, arguably one of the best teams in the NBA at 24-7, on the ropes.
Leonard has been absolutely unguardable, pouring in 20 points on hyper-efficient shooting before the halftime buzzer even sounded. The two-time Finals MVP is digging deep into his bag, burying defenders with his patented midrange assassin role.
Kawhi Leonard knocks down the TOUGH midrange jumper 😮💨
He has 20 points with a few minutes left in the 2nd quarter.pic.twitter.com/F2LNxLNZeW
— Clippers Nation (@ClipperNationCP) December 29, 2025
One specific play late in the second quarter had the Intuit Dome rocking. Leonard isolated on the wing, sized up his defender, and drilled a contested jumper with a hand directly in his face to push his tally to 20.The Clippers went into the break leading 72-59, a “bonkers” scoreline considering the Pistons' dominance this season.
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What makes this even wilder is who Kawhi is doing it with. Head coach Ty Lue rolled out a starting five that looked like a time capsule, leaning heavily on veteran savvy to combat Detroit's youth and athleticism. It’s working. The Clippers are controlling the pace, limiting turnovers, and forcing the Pistons into uncomfortable shots.
While Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (averaging 26.5 ppg) tries to rally his troops, the story of the half is undeniably the Klaw. If he keeps this pace, we aren't just looking at a vintage performance; we're looking at a statement win for a Clippers team that refuses to go quietly.
The second half is underway, but if the first 24 minutes were any indication, Kawhi isn't done teaching the young Pistons a lesson just yet.