Kawhi Leonard played huge for the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. He scored 55 points against the Detroit Pistons and made huge plays on the defensive end. With his high-scoring performance, Leonard added 11 rebounds, five steals and three blocks. He tied with James Harden for the most points scored in a single game, which Harden did on Nov. 22 against the Charlotte Hornets.
Leonard’s performance helped the team capture a 112-99 win over the best team in the Eastern Conference. The two-time NBA champion had one of his best shooting performances, making 65.4% of his attempts. He also shot 5-for-10 from deep.
KAWHI LEONARD TONIGHT:
55 POINTS
11 REBOUNDS
5 STEALS
3 BLOCKS
65% FGpic.twitter.com/lli0cRdA9s— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 29, 2025
After his strong performance, fans around the NBA were in awe.
“Toronto Kawhi is back,” a fan said.
“In an Injury free universe, this is the best player on the planet,” another fan commented.
“Bro gets his first 50 piece and they treating it like he went up against the bad boy pistons 💀💀,” one fan said.
Bro gets his first 50 piece and they treating it like he went up against the bad boy pistons 💀💀
— LeGreatestToEverLaceEmUp (@LeBronco23) December 29, 2025
Other fans had jokes about Leonard’s load management.
“Annnnnnd he’s out for the next three games,” someone commented.
“Vintage Kawhi,” a comment read. “Current Kawhi though – Next week he’ll be out for a month.”
“The problem with Kawhi is he might pull something in his sleep and be out 45 days,” a fan commented.
The problem with Kawhi is he might pull something in his sleep and be out 45 days
— AntDogg (@NickelBoy_Ant) December 29, 2025
Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers have won four games in a row for the first time in the 2025-26 NBA season.
James Harden called Kawhi Leonard’s 55-point game a “beautiful thing”
Kawhi Leonard has only played one 50-point game in his career. The most points he’s had in a single game were 45 against the Utah Jazz, back in January 2019, when he was with the Toronto Raptors. After his game against the Pistons, James Harden revealed his thoughts on his co-star’s scoring outburst.
“Took him long enough. How long he’s been in the league? 12, 13, 14 years? Something like that. Nah, it was a beautiful thing to see. How efficient it was. How effortless it was. It was just so smooth. Got to whatever spot he wanted to… Overly happy for him. Because behind the scenes, you watch somebody and how hard they work… For him, what he’s had to battle through just to go out there and look like himself, it’s a beautiful thing to see,” Harden said.
It was an important win for the Clippers and Kawhi Loenard stepped up big time.
