NBA
Kawhi Leonard Proves He Isn’t Human by Blocking a Dunk With Just 1 Finger
Kawhi Leonard has done some jaw-dropping things on the basketball court.
Look no further than last season, when Leonard sunk an impossible fadeaway shot against the Philadelphia 76ers that took three bounces on the rim and eventually fell in to win the game and the playoff series. It was as if Leonard was controlling a magnet below the net that gently guided the ball through the hoop somehow.
On Monday night, Leonard added another highlight to his impressive collection, and he only needed one finger to do it.
Kawhi Leonard has always had massive hands
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Leonard is a freak of nature. The 6-foot-7 forward has an 88-inch wingspan, which is bigger than most centers’ in the NBA. But the features that really stand out are his hands.
Leonard’s hands measure a ridiculous 11.5 inches wide from thumb to pinky finger. That’s Shaq-like. You can tell the difference his hands make by just watching a few possessions. Leonard makes a basketball look like a tennis ball when he palms it. His massive hands also make him one of the best defenders in the league, as he can tip and snatch balls out of the air easier than anyone else on the court.
Leonard’s hands act like suction cups on defense and on the glass. Once he gets ahold of the ball, good luck getting it out.
His hands have led to some impressive plays throughout his NBA career thus far, but what Leonard did Monday night was just unfair.
Leonard blocked a Jamal Murray dunk attempt using just one finger
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You never want to get a middle finger pointed at you in any situation. It’s one of the most disrespectful gestures a person can make, but Leonard just took giving the middle finger to the next level.
During the Clippers’ playoff game against the Nuggets on Monday night, Jamal Murray went up for a dunk late in the fourth quarter. He made the foolish decision to rise up and attempt to slam one home over Leonard and his massive hands, but Murray learned pretty quickly why no one should ever try such a thing.
Leonard rose up above Murray, levitated in the air, and stuffed Murray into middle earth. But on closer examination, Leonard didn’t even use his whole hand to block the dunk. The slow-motion replay showed Leonard sending Murray’s attempt back with just his middle finger. Even his teammates couldn’t believe what they saw.
“That’s an extra long middle finger. It kept growing or something,” Paul George said after the game.
The super-human block propelled the Clippers to a Game 3 win
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Leonard might’ve exposed himself for being some sort of alien from another world with his super-human block, but the play propelled the Clippers to a massive Game 3 win against the Nuggets.
Leonard finished the game with 23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks.
The dude just keeps making winning plays in the postseason and adding to his career highlight reel in the process. Leonard routinely makes plays that basketball fans have never seen before, and maybe his latest feat will teach opponents not to test him at the rim.