The 2025-26 Los Angeles Clippers started this season in a tailspin. A 6-21 record through their first 27 games had them looking more like a team angling for lottery balls than one with championship aspirations. But for a franchise still paying the price for the Paul George trade - and with no incentive to tank - things were teetering on the edge of disaster.
Then came the turnaround.
Since that bleak start, the Clippers have ripped off 12 wins in their last 14 games, including a current five-game winning streak. They’ve climbed back into the Western Conference mix, sitting 10th after spending the early part of the season bumping shoulders with lottery-bound teams like the Kings, Jazz, and Pelicans.
And they’re doing it with Kawhi Leonard playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Leonard, now 34, missed 10 of the Clippers’ first 27 games - a stretch where LA couldn’t find any rhythm. But since returning to full strength, he’s been nothing short of dominant.
Since December 20th, Leonard has averaged 32.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, shooting a blistering 51% from the field, 44% from three, and 92% from the line. Those are MVP-level numbers, and they’ve come during a stretch where the Clippers have been the best team in the league by record.
What’s most impressive is how Leonard has done it. He’s not just scoring - he’s controlling games.
He’s more aggressive, more confident, and more efficient than we’ve seen in years. After multiple knee issues that cast doubt over whether he could ever reach peak form again, Leonard is logging heavy minutes and carrying the Clippers on both ends of the floor.
When he’s playing at this level, LA has a shot against anyone.
But Leonard hasn’t been doing it alone.
James Harden, who shouldered a massive offensive burden early in the season, is finally getting help. The Clippers have shifted into a five-out offense, especially during Ivica Zubac’s absence, with Brook Lopez stretching the floor at the five. That spacing has opened up the floor for both Harden and Leonard to operate, and the results speak for themselves: since December 20th, LA owns the second-best offensive rating in the league.
And it’s not just offense. Even with Zubac sidelined, the Clippers have tightened up defensively, posting the seventh-best defensive rating during this 12-2 run.
That balance - elite offense and top-tier defense - has given them the best net rating in the NBA over that span. This isn’t a team catching fire against weak opponents.
This is a team finding its identity and executing at a high level on both ends.
They’ve done it while still dealing with injuries across the roster. Derrick Jones Jr. is just getting back.
Bogdan Bogdanovic is still out. Bradley Beal is done for the season.
John Collins didn’t even play in their most recent win - a 121-117 road victory over the Raptors - and Leonard sat that one out entirely for rest. Yet the Clippers still found a way to win.
The road ahead? It’s looking a lot smoother.
According to Tankathon, LA has the seventh-easiest remaining schedule in the league. That’s a huge opportunity for a team that’s already found its stride.
And they’re not done tweaking the roster. The Clippers have a few assets they could flip before the trade deadline to bring in another impact piece - someone like Coby White, perhaps. There’s also the unresolved Chris Paul situation, which could give them another lever to pull as they gear up for the stretch run.
Bottom line: this Clippers surge isn’t smoke and mirrors. It’s built on a foundation of elite two-way play, a revitalized Kawhi Leonard, and a roster that’s starting to click despite the adversity. If they keep this up - and with a favorable schedule ahead - LA could go from early-season disaster to a serious problem in the Western Conference playoff picture.