Kawhi Leonard’s March wasn’t just impressive—it felt like he was sending a message. After a pretty standard January and February, where he had just three 20-point games in each month, he came out swinging when the calendar flipped. In March, Leonard turned it all the way up. He scored 20 or more in 12 of the 13 games he played. The lone outlier? A 17-point game against the Kings—though he ended that one by casually hitting his first career buzzer-beater in overtime. Yeah, classic Kawhi stuff.

And if you’re thinking this is just another solid stretch, think again. That 12-game run of 20-point outings ties the most he’s ever had in a single month. It’s right up there with his best. He also averaged 25.2 points per game during that stretch—the highest he’s posted since way back in January 2023.

Leonard just reminded everyone he’s still got that quiet killer mode. The NBA handed him Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 24. But he might sit out the first game of another back-to-back on Tuesday against the Spurs, all because of that same right knee that saw miss training camp altogether and spent the early part of the year just getting that knee back to game shape. He’s listed as questionable, the injury listed is right knee injury management.

Along with Kawhi, Amir Coffey’s not lacing up for Tuesday’s clash with the Spurs.

But here’s the part that should give Clippers fans a little hope: he did play both games in the back-to-back against the Mavs just days ago. That’s not nothing. Kawhi has already missed 44 games but honestly? The Clippers are cool with it—as long as he’s fresh for the playoffs. They’re not sweating over a couple more DNPs in April. Why? Because throwing him out there too soon just to grind out some regular-season wins isn’t worth it.

That’s exactly why Kawhi’s eyes are locked on the bigger picture.

Kawhi Leonard hopes he can be healthy till the summer

Kawhi Leonard isn’t just grinding through the regular season—he’s chasing something bigger. The goal? Hit the summer healthy and finally ditch the rehab routine. “I want to get to the summer healthy,” he told Law Murray of The Athletic. If you’ve kept up with Kawhi over the years, you already know how rare that kind of summer has been.

His last three playoff runs were ruined by injuries—a torn ACL in 2021, a meniscus tear in 2023, and knee inflammation last postseason that ended his run after just two games. And when you hear him talk now, you can feel the urgency. It’s not just about this season. It’s about finally having an offseason where he’s not stuck watching the league move on without him.

Kawhi’s staying locked in. He’s averaging 21 points, 5.8 boards, and 3 assists while shooting 49.6% from the field. He’s not just easing back in either—he’s playing more minutes and taking charge next to James Harden. The Clippers, now 46-32, have managed to stay in the mix, giving themselves a real shot in the postseason.

Bottom line? Kawhi’s tired of injuries stealing his summers. And after missing 44 games already, the Clippers aren’t stressing a few more. They’d rather have him fresh when it counts. If he can stay upright this time, it might finally be the run we’ve all been waiting for.