Kawhi Leonard makes his NBA MVP case

Russell Westbrook became an MVP candidate when it became apparent he had a real shot at averaging a triple-double all season long. James Harden became an MVP candidate once he started threatening to win the scoring title and the assists title for a really good team. LeBron James became an MVP candidate ... well, he was born an MVP candidate, but as he took on a heavy load to keep Cleveland out in front in the East, we knew he was in the race.

Kawhi Leonard has quietly been in the race all along too as the clear best player and Rosetta Stone for a team poised to win 60 games. But unlike Westbrook’s 40-11-11 games or Harden’s 45-15 nights or LeBron’s high-profile moments, Kawhi is usually doing his best work in the shadows.

That wasn’t the case on Monday, as he fully made his MVP case against Harden and the Rockets. He dropped 39 points on Houston, including the go-ahead three off the dribble. On the next possession, he blocked Harden at the rim.

Tim Cato will have more from San Antonio in a little while. But here’s my argument for Kawhi: Westbrook and Harden have stronger offensive cases than Leonard. But the difference between those guys and Kawhi on offense is minuscule compared to the difference between those guys and Kawhi on defense. LeBron’s a closer comparison to me. We’ll see what the voters think.

MIL 112, PHI 98
NYK 113, ORL 105
MIA 106, CLE 98
GSW 119, ATL 111
CHI 95, DET 109
BKN 122, MEM 109
IND 88, CHA 100
HOU 110, SAS 112
SAC 96, DEN 108
NOP 83, UTA 88
BOS 102, LAC 116

Yikes. Andrew Bogut’s Cavaliers career lasted 58 seconds. He broke his leg in the first minute of his first appearance for the team.

By trying to take back the Lakers, Jim Buss proved just how lost he is, writes Daman Rangoola.

I just adore these stats-heavy, reported vignettes Chris Herring has been writing for 538. This one on how Isaiah Thomas uses the rim is illuminating.

Here comes Seth Curry.

JAMAL CRAWFORD IS THE BEST TEAMMATE/HYPE MAN!

Oof. While Dennis Schroder and Dwight Howard are arguing during play, Stephen Curry nails an open three. Schroder got benched for that.

Larry Bird calls rumors the Pacers were actually interested in trading Paul George at the deadline “fake news.”

I am not dignifying Mark Cuban’s refusal to call Russell Westbrook a superstar or refusal to consider him an MVP candidate with comment beyond this: It’s so weird and unnecessary.

The ceiling really is the roof!

I’ll read any big blowout on Kyrie Irving’s handle. It’s one of my favorite basketball things from the last decade.

Department of Corrections: Yesterday we shared the news of Festus Ezeli’s knee surgery using a cadaver and said it was the first cadaver surgery in NBA history. That’s not entirely true! Other players have had cadavers used in their surgeries.

The great Dan Devine destroys Mike Francesca’s eye-rollingly wrong argument that a woman will never be an NBA head coach and that women have no place in the NBA.

And finally: LeBron admits he’s “addicted to the process” and apologizes to his wife for prioritizing his journey toward greatness. He also reveals the movie and TV episode that make him cry. LeBron is awesome.