Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points, but the Clippers still did not play a complete matchup. In a 118-101 triumph over Utah on Thursday, Los Angeles needed a fourth-quarter takeover to secure a spot that initially looked achievable. The win pushed the Clippers to six straight wins, yet the performance showed why Leonard thinks the squad remains unfinished.
The Clippers led by 21 in the second half before allowing Utah back into the game through slow offensive possessions and missed defensive assignments. Later that night, the star player admitted that there was still a lot of work to do.
Kawhi Leonard Points to Execution and Pace After Jazz Win
Leonard spoke to reporters after the game and addressed the Clippers’ position directly. His focus stayed on execution, pace, and standings. Landing hard in the final stretch, he poured in 20 points during the last quarter: exactly what Utah managed as a team. His night ended with 45 on the board, seven rebounds tagging along, plus three dimes, two takeaways, and two rejections across nearly forty minutes of play.
HC Tyronn Lue kept Leonard on the floor as the only starter, trusting him to stabilize the offense as the lead narrowed. Leonard did that by attacking early in possessions. He hit four three-pointers during a stretch where LA made seven straight from beyond the arc. The run ended Utah’s comeback and restored control.
Kawhi Leonard said the need for that stretch highlighted the problem.
“We’re still trying to get better individually and as a unit. We might not be contenders, but we gotta keep fighting. We still got steps. Good teams are top-8 or above. We’re not there. We’re below .500, so we’re working our way up.”
Kawhi Leonard says the Clippers still have steps to take before calling themselves a good team:
“We’re still trying to get better individually and as a unit. We might not be contenders but we just gotta keep fighting… We still got steps. Good teams are top-8 or above. We’re not… pic.twitter.com/Bzt5QNWPts
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 2, 2026
He specifically mentioned pace, pointing out that the Clippers often start actions too late, allowing defenses to set. That issue surfaced when Utah erased part of the lead by forcing late-clock shots and creating transition opportunities.
Utah stays firm even after missing three starters. The best moment came for Anderson as he scored 22 off the bench. And Brice Sensabaugh added 20. The Jazz cut into the margin by moving the ball and attacking mismatches while the Clippers slowed down.
The standings support Leonard’s assessment. A few stronger outings lately helped somewhat, though those past setbacks still weigh heavily. Leonard’s message was clear. The Clippers can close games. They cannot yet rely on execution for four quarters. Until that changes, Kawhi Leonard is not redefining the team’s status.
