After helping the Toronto Raptors win their first NBA championship title, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green decided to leave Toronto last summer. Although they both headed to the same city, Leonard and Green signed with different teams in the 2019 NBA free agency. Leonard went on another mission to help the Los Angeles Clippers capture their first Larry O’Brien Trophy, while Green teamed up with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers .
The Clippers and the Lakers may both be considered as strong title contenders in the deep Western Conference, but as of now, Leonard’s new team is favored to reach the 2020 NBA Finals over Green’s squad. Most people believe that the Lakers’ chances of beating the Clippers in a best-of-seven series depend on their ability to limit Leonard’s production on the offensive end of the floor. Luckily, in a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Heavy , Green revealed that he knew how to stop Leonard.
“We all know his strengths,” Green said. “We all know what he can do. Try to limit him as much as possible to not let him get to his spots and get comfortable in his rhythm. Do that and offensively make him work, put him in some screen-and-rolls out on the floor, space and have some good movement.”
It is definitely not a surprise that Green is well-aware of the strengths and weaknesses of Leonard. Before they led the Raptors to their first NBA championship title last season, Green and Leonard were teammates on the San Antonio Spurs for seven years. However, despite his knowledge of Leonard’s game, Green and the Lakers still haven’t found a way to beat the Clippers in the 2019-20 NBA season.
Green may have said that he knows how to stop Leonard, but he is yet to convert his words into actions. In their first two face-offs this season, the Lakers have lost both games against the Clippers, and Leonard was nearly unstoppable on both ends of the floor. In those two games, Leonard posted incredible numbers, averaging 32.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 55.3 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Before the real battle begins in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Green and the Lakers will have the opportunity to face Leonard and the Clippers for the third time this season. The upcoming game between the Lakers and the Clippers will be on Sunday night at the Staples Center.