“CLUTCHEST player ITL”: NBA fans hail Kawhi Leonard as best late-game performer after Magic beatdown 

The LA Clippers, led by Kawhi Leonard, put on a late-game display to secure consecutive road victories after defeating the Orlando Magic 100-97 on Friday.

In the final minutes of the game, Leonard cemented the win with a crucial shot, recording a game-high of 29 points.

Basketball enthusiasts turned to X, previously known as Twitter, to express their responses to the intense cross-conference game and commended the two-time Finals MVP for his impressive performance in the closing moments.

According to one fan:

“CLUTCHEST player ITL”

Listed below are a few of the most popular fan responses on X:

Leonard was a dominant force on the boards, grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. His five assists matched the impressive showings of his teammate Russell Westbrook and Orlando’s Jalen Suggs.

The Clippers’ win brought their road trip record to 2-0, while the Magic experienced their third consecutive loss at home and failed to score 100 points for the second game in a row.

The Dominance of the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard in Crunch Time Against the Orlando Magic

During the second game of a tough four-game stretch on the road, the LA Clippers faced difficulties with ball control against a strong Orlando defense. Every member of the LA team struggled with turnovers, leading to a total of 17 throughout the game. The Magic took advantage of these mistakes, scoring 22 points off of turnovers and gaining a 22-15 lead in that category.

Despite the Clippers being favored in terms of pivotal turnovers of the evening, it was James Harden’s steal off Paolo Banchero that ultimately led to Leonard’s decisive basket and sealed the game.

Harden continued to make his presence known as he recorded his fourth and final steal, intercepting a pass by Banchero while the Clippers took a one-point lead. This turnover allowed Paul George, who scored 12 points in the game, to make a crucial basket and ultimately secure the win with only 5.1 seconds left on the clock.

Despite only having 34.4 seconds left on the clock and the Magic behind by one point, Banchero’s turnover resulted in the Clippers gaining possession. Despite being heavily defended by Jonathan Isaac, Paul George was still able to make a fadeaway midrange jumper, increasing the Clippers’ lead to three points.

Despite Banchero’s impressive performance of 23 points and eight rebounds, he was also responsible for seven of Orlando’s 17 turnovers. On the other hand, Franz Wagner struggled with his shooting, only scoring 13 points and going 5-of-13 from the field, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc. However, he still managed to contribute to the team’s overall performance.

Despite his buzzer-beater attempt to force overtime, the Magic’s fate was sealed when the shot fell short, marking his final missed attempt.