Kawhi Leonard, Tyronn Lue React To James Harden’s Game-saving Flop

Tyrone Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, but the game ended on a dramatic note thanks to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden

With the Nets leading 110-108 with 11 seconds left in the game, Kawhi Leonard went to the basket for a layup attempt. Although James Harden grabbed it, Leonard shot to the rim and appears to have committed a foul. There was a whistle, but not in favor of the Clippers.

Instead, Leonard was found guilty of an offensive foul for pushing James Harden away.

Offensive foul on Kawhi Leonard or the James Harden fiasco ? pic.twitter.com/HUSk82kVO6

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 22, 2021

The replay clearly shows that Harden came back to sell the call, and it worked. Then he went to the free throw line, took a couple of free throws and froze the game.

Kawhi Leonard spent about 45 minutes in a post-game press conference, and for the first time this season, he wanted to do a double press conference with Paul George Leonard had a question about the issues.

“You know, I think at the end of the game when we play in the dugout, we let both sides play,” Leonard said. “But they didn’t call it, so good defense. I got attacked early, but like I said, no call, such great defense.”

When the next question was posed to George, a visibly disappointed Leonard got up and left. And that was it. Leonard took a question after 29 points and 12 rebounds and walked away.

Kawhi Leonard answered a question tonight: that of the unwelcome attack. Here’s what he said:

“I think at the end of the game we play bully ball and run back and forth. But they didn’t call it, so good defense”.

Then he said, “Okay,” got up and left pic.twitter.com/1aBymwNvDW

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 22, 2021

Tyrone Liu also did not want to go into the details of the conversation, but gave a little more than Leonard did.

“I mean, they called him, so there’s nothing you can do right now,” coach Tyronn Lue added. “I’m not one to complain, but one guy said he had a hand before Kawhi could pull the trigger and he said Harden took it – I don’t know because I didn’t watch it. To me the game is over and there’s nothing you can do about it, so it’s over.

“They called him. There’s nothing we can do now. I’m not one to complain. Someone said Harden had a hand before Kawhi could pull the trigger …..That’s what this is.”

Tyronn Lue over James Harden’s finish against Kawhi Leonard at the end of the game. #Clippers pic.twitter.com/OMhPNcmEv7

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 22, 2021

The Clippers contested the call, but ran out of time through both of their timeouts and used their only challenge minutes earlier on a Patrick Beverley mobile screen that left Jeff Green on the floor for a few minutes before going to the locker room. The challenge was deemed unsuccessful and the Clippers took their second timeout.

Jeff Green gets hurt in this room after a hard screen from Patrick Beverley!
Full video: https:
//t.co/Brooklyn Nets vs LA Clippers pic.twitter.com/BbBe9ejjuW

– Chaz (@ChazClavant) February 22, 2021

Tuesday night Leonard and the Clippers take on the Washington Wizards in their final home game before a five-game trip to close out the first half of the season. After that comes the All-Star break, where Kawhi Leonard and likely Paul George will play.