Clippers' Game 2 focus shifts to getting Kawhi Leonard back into 'attack mode'

The forward had 22 points in Game 1. But 7 turnovers, as well.

(Photo credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

DENVER -- A cursory look at Kawhi Leonard’s box score line from Saturday’s Game 1 loss would have painted the picture of Leonard having a good outing.

After all, the forward finished with 22 points and 6 rebounds in 41 minutes while shooting an efficient 9 of 15 from the field. But looks can be deceiving.

Leonard ended the night with 7 turnovers—not only a season-high for the two-time Finals MVP but also tied for his most ever in a playoff game and the most he’s had in any game overall since having 8 miscues on Dec. 13, 2019.

“We just got to be decisive,” Leonard said after the LA Clippers’ 112-110 Game 1 overtime loss. “Get more in attack mode with situations, and that’s it, really. A lot of turnovers we caused. It’s all you can do.”

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue preached taking care of the basketball all week leading into the series, so when 20 turnovers pop up despite his overtures to protect the ball, you’d understand if he’d be disappointed in what took place.

“It’s the game,” Lue said Sunday when asked what his first thought was when he saw the number of turnovers after he spent the past week outlining the importance of keeping the errors to a minimum.

“We just got to understand that we’ve got to be better. Not pointing at one specific thing, but just understand we can’t just, like, throw careless passes. We understand where they’re doubling from, we understand how they’re blitzing, how we want to be set up, how we want to attack it, and so it shouldn’t be a surprise.

“If they fire, [be] where we’re supposed to be, get to our spots, and so it shouldn’t be a surprise. I think, with us, we’ve got to make the simple play and then we also got to hit the first available person when they’re trying to blitz us, trying to take us out of what we’re trying to do, and not hold it, not hold it and try to bait guys and now they get their defense set and we’re turning the basketball over.”