Kawhi Leonard made the hard part look so simple, he seemed immune to the struggle. That stoic demeanor, those awkward, public displays of human emotion, and his refusal to his engage in any introspective conversations about challenging experiences fed into the running joke that Leonard is a machine. An iKawhi. A Terminator. Program in his mission, watch him execute.
Leonard’s assignment for this season was to turn the LA Clippers into champions, beat LeBron James along the way and solidify a newly acclaimed perch as the game’s best player. In falling short of all three, Leonard revealed that he doesn’t just disappoint when he departs. Heartbroken fan bases in San Antonio and Toronto know what it is like to lose him. Heartbroken fans in Los Angeles are now aware of Leonard’s limitations. He’s not infallible or unflappable. He, too, can fade under an avalanche of expectations and hype.
While folks are taking the time to dunk all over…
