An 8-21 start is not how the LA Clippers imagined their 2025-26 season would begin. It’s been a struggle to win consistently this year. Injuries and poor roster management have held the team back.
Starting SF, Kawhi Leonard has played in 19 of the team’s 29 games this season. He suffered a right foot sprain and was forced to miss 10 consecutive games. On Tuesday evening, the Clippers hosted the Rockets. Kawhi Leonard went off for 41 points, including 23 in the second half, for a 128-108 win. That was the first time sicne December 2023 that Leonard recorded 40+ points in a game.
Kawhi Leonard had a vintage performance on Tuesday for the Clippers
KAWHI HAD HIS FIRST 40+ POINT GAME SINCE DEC. 2023 🤯
41 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST 😤 pic.twitter.com/pCuP2dO2ZQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 24, 2025
In 2024-25, Kawhi Leonard struggled to be available for the Clippers. He appeared in 37 of the team’s 82 games. Leonard missed the first 33 games of the year due to injury. Fast-forward to the 2025-26 season, and Kawhi has already missed 10 games due to a foot sprain. However, the 34-year-old has played in 13 consecutive games for LA. Against the Rockets on Tuesday, Kawhi Leonard had a vintage performance.
For the first time since December 2023, Leonard recorded 40+ points in a game. He had 41 points on Tuesday vs. Houston. Leonard finished the game with 41 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. His strong performance helped secure back-to-back wins for the second time in 2025-26. While the team has struggled to win consistently, Leonard has been playing well as of late.
Kawhi Leonard in the month of December:
-25.0 PPG
-7.1 REB
-3.6 AST
-2.0 STL
-47% FG
-98% FTDon’t get it twisted, the Klaw is still him ✋🏿 pic.twitter.com/r4CZ7vSzR3
— SleeperClippers (@SleeperClippers) December 24, 2025
During December 2023, Kawhi Leonard looks like his old self. In nine games this month, Leonard is averaging 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 steals. Additionally, he is shooting .470% from the field and .980% from the free-throw line. Kawhi Leonard has scored 20+ points in 11 consecutive games.
James Harden added 29 points on Tuesday evening to help beat the Houston Rockets. Harden has played in 26 of the team’s 29 games in 2025-26. After the game, Kawhi Leonard said it’s easy for Harden and him to score 30 or 40 points each night.
However, he said that it is irrelevant if the team doesn’t win. Unfortunately, the wins have not come easily for the Clippers in 2025-26. They are 8-21 through 29 games. Does the veteran forward have what it takes to help his team fight back into contention, or are the Clippers a lost cause at 13th in the Western Conference?
