Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are trying to hold onto the eighth seed in the Western Conference after turning their season around. Los Angeles opened the year 6-21 but has since added 33 wins, climbing back into the playoff picture late in the season.
That push took a hit on Tuesday in a 114-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, another team in the play-in race. Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points, extending his streak of 20+ point games to 52, but it was not enough as Portland controlled the game with its rebounding and second-chance scoring.
With the win, the ninth-seeded Blazers improved to 39-38 and are now just 0.5 games behind the Clippers (39-37), tightening the race for the final play-in spots with just six games remaining.
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Clippers now face another test against the San Antonio Spurs, who hold the No. 2 seed and are currently on a nine-game winning streak.
While preparing for that game, Leonard shared off-court news. He announced on X that his project “Back 2 Nature” has been nominated for a Webby Award in the Sports Video category.
“We’re a Webby Award Nominee for Best Sports Video & Film-Limited Series & Specials! Go Vote for us for the Webby People’s Voice Award. Voting ends on April 16th.”
“Back 2 Nature” is a short-form documentary project centered on Leonard’s return to basketball and his life away from the court. The series, which he executive produced, highlights his training, personal routine, and creative work with New Balance, including the launch of his signature product line tied to his comeback.
While Leonard scores a major nod off the court, his attention must now return to Wednesday’s game against San Antonio, the team he won the 2014 NBA Finals MVP with. The matchup is scheduled for 9:30 pm ET at Intuit Dome, with Los Angeles looking to respond after the loss.
