Sometimes Kawhi is the world’s best player

Nuggets-Clippers: Clash of the Titans

On Monday in Denver, Kawhi Leonard bullied Jamal Murray early and often, and came away with a shockingly efficient 39 points and the win. It was the best performance of the playoffs so far. AARON ONTIVEROZ/THE DENVER POST

I’m about four years into telling anyone who asks that Nikola Jokić is the game's best player. To me, that means he’s the world’s best basketball problem solver.

But in Game 2, another player was better.

Kawhi Leonard’s first bucket came with a bully ball tactic to get a second box jumper over Jamal Murray. His final shot came as he avoided a double team and dribbled into a pull up jumper. In between came everything else, which amounted to 39 points and an even series as the next two games will be in LA.

What Kawhi did in Game 2 has to make the whole West nervous. In the first half he almost exclusively targeted Murray, bullying and shooting over him like Murray was his little brother.