Thanks to Udoka, we witnessed the mightiest warrior, Kawhi.

The Clippers and Rockets faced off in back-to-back games over two days, splitting the wins evenly, yet if the first game’s momentum had continued, the Rockets ought to have taken both wins solidly.

In the fourth quarter yesterday, Leonard was heavily double-teamed, and the Clippers’ other players failed to score, with the team putting up just 7 points in half a quarter, effectively ending the game early. In today’s first three quarters, Leonard was again tightly guarded, finishing with only 9 points and struggling with his shot. But as everyone knows, a game has four quarters.

It’s important to note that because it was a back-to-back, Leonard only played 21 minutes in the first three quarters, leaving him with enough energy to play the entire fourth quarter. At the start of the final period, Leonard hit a three-pointer off a pick-and-roll to ignite the offense, and the Rockets’ defense on him wasn’t as intense as before.

Kawhi kept scoring through second-chance points and fast breaks. Even with double teams, the defenders trapping him were only at Shepard’s level, which didn’t affect him much. On defense, Leonard’s steals sparked the Clippers’ offense, allowing them to quickly overtake the Rockets.

The Clippers fell behind by as much as 15 points in this game, but started to take control in the second half. In the final quarter, Leonard scored 19 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, dished 2 assists, and made 2 steals. Although officially credited with two steals, he was involved in at least three defensive takeaways.

In the slower-paced half-court battle, Leonard’s efficiency was low against Amen and the Rockets’ forwards, but his steals drove the Clippers’ fast break, igniting their attack. In the final moments, Leonard showed what makes a superstar with a clutch and-one mid-range shot.

With 6.9 seconds left, everyone around the world knew the Clippers’ game-winning shot would go to Leonard. Just a simple screen allowed him to easily catch the ball, with only Amen defending him.

Leonard drove from the left, faced a double team, then spun to the right side and smoothly hit a fadeaway jumper. Defenders Tate, Amen, and Durant surrounded him but only served as background. Leonard’s shot went in, the whistle blew, and it was a 2+1 play!

Leonard’s ability to break down defenses is undoubtedly top-tier in the league, but the Rockets should never have allowed him such an easy catch. Even if he got the ball, they should have quickly double-teamed him to force a pass. Udoka shouldn’t have gambled on Leonard missing such a difficult shot, despite his poor mid-to-long range shooting tonight.

The Rockets’ next offensive possession completely exposed Udoka. Using the same sideline inbound play, everyone knew the ball was meant for Durant. Leonard stayed tight on Durant, who used Sengun’s screen to shake Leonard off, but Jones, defending Sengun, switched early and firmly blocked Durant, who never had a chance to receive the ball.

Frustrated, Amen inbounded to Eason in the corner, who rushed a three-pointer and missed, sealing the Rockets’ bitter defeat. Two contrasting sideline plays clearly showed Udoka was outcoached badly by championship coach Tyronn Lue.

Down by 3 points with only 2 seconds left, Udoka still kept Shepard, who shot 5 of 10 from three-point range, on the bench. Although Shepard played poorly in the fourth quarter and was targeted on defense, at such a crucial moment when three-pointers were most needed, Udoka still benched him.

Tyronn Lue knew to space the floor with DeAndre off the inbound, but Udoka didn’t put his most accurate three-point shooter Shepard back in. Coupled with the Rockets’ 21 turnovers today, this loss was truly deserved.

After the game, Leonard said: “We just kept fighting. We fought all night and never gave up. I believe we could win. We didn’t play well yesterday, so we wanted to perform better today.”

Yesterday, the Clippers strategically conceded early in the fourth quarter to save energy for today’s comeback. They recorded 13 steals throughout the game. After trading Harden and Zubac, the Clippers are on a semi-rebuild path, but as long as they have a dominant player like Leonard, they remain a team that can’t be overlooked.

Leonard has been playing through minor injuries recently, including a twisted ankle, bruised knee, and finger injury. Today, his finger was still wrapped in black tape, yet he still hit the near game-winning shot.

“I will hold the team down until Garland returns,” Leonard said, and he has delivered on that promise.