Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard earned high praise from an Orlando Magic player after Sunday night's 111-109 loss, with Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. calling him "the best player in this league."
Leonard put in a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 37 points with eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in 33 minutes. He shot 14 of 25 from the field, 2 of 7 from 3-point range, and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line.
After the game, Carter reflected on the challenge of defending Leonard.
"Kawhi, especially lately, is probably the best player in this league. Again, he gets his spots whenever he wants. Very calm, very collective. He never feels like he's rushed or sharp at all. Very strong defensively, guards, most guys on the court. So he's one of those guys you try to block throughout the game, make it tough, make everybody tough for him and then late in the game as we "Try to take the ball out of his hands, force someone else to beat us. So I think we did a really good job in that period and it was definitely something we can learn from going forward."
Wendell Carter Jr. called Kawhi Leonard "the best player in the league"
"Kawhi, especially lately, is probably the best player in this league. He finds his spots when he wants to... He never feels rushed or rushed." pic.twitter.com/cpxRg2ggPM
- Julian Ojeda (@jowepafm) 23 February 2026
Leonard consistently controlled the pace, scoring from his favorite midrange spot and attacking mismatches without rushing. Despite Orlando's late-game adjustments, the two-time Finals MVP repeatedly created separation and forced defensive turnovers.
Clippers fall short despite Kawhi Leonard's 37-point performance vs. Magic
As Carter said, the Magic changed their tactics at the last minute and tried to take the ball out of Leonard's hands. On the Clippers' final possession, Leonard completed a pass to Benedict Mathurin for a potential game-winning 3-pointer. The shot hit the rim and went wide, setting up Los Angeles' second consecutive loss and leaving the Clippers down 27–30.
Mathurin contributed 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists off the bench. He shot 7 of 16 from the field, 1 of 5 from beyond the arc and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line in 30 minutes.
For Leonard, the performance continued what has been one of the most productive scoring seasons of his career. In his sixth season with the Los Angeles Clippers, the 34-year-old has averaged 28 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals per game in 44 appearances. He is shooting 49.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3-point range and a career-high 90.5% from the free-throw line, while logging 32.8 minutes per contest.
Orlando improved to 30–26 with the narrow win, concluding the second night of a back-to-back on a four-game Western Conference road trip. Carter finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes, helping solidify the interior while the Magic weathered Leonard's scoring bursts.
The Clippers will try to bounce back on Thursday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves (35-25) at 7:00 PM ET on Prime Video as part of a three-game homestand.
The Orlando Magic continue their road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers (34-22) on Tuesday at 7:30 pm PT, keeping the momentum going after enduring a 37-point outing from Leonard.
