Lue: Clippers can win any series with healthy Kawhi

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has the utmost confidence in his club, especially when Kawhi Leonard is healthy and performing at the peak of his abilities.

"This is what Kawhi lives for, trying to get to this point where he's healthy for the playoffs," Lue told reporters following the Clippers' Game 2 win over the Denver Nuggets. "We know if we've got a healthy Kawhi, we can win any series. That just showed you tonight what he's capable of doing."

Leonard played some of his best basketball over the last month of the regular season and has carried that form into the playoffs.

The two-time Finals MVP led all players with 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting Monday, including a decisive bucket that put the Clippers up three with just under a minute to go.

Leonard, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, then had a key steal and shot contest on Nikola Jokic's last-second 3-point attempt to help even the opening-round series at one game apiece.

Injuries have limited Leonard throughout his tenure in L.A. The six-time All-Star battled through knee inflammation in his right knee before being shut shut down just two games into the Clippers' first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks last season.

Leonard didn't make his first appearance of the 2024-25 campaign until January as he underwent a procedure to address the lingering inflammation.

"I'm just happy that I'm able to move," Leonard said postgame, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "That's what I'm taking pride in is just being healthy. I sat and watched these playoff games and series the past two years.

"So being able to be frontline out there, it just feels good for me no matter which way the game goes."

Game 3 is Thursday in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET.