LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 11, 2020

Kawhi Leonard

Postgame Press Conference

Nuggets 111, Clippers 105

Q. From the moment that you hit that three closer to the end of the third and you were up by seven at that point, what kind of went wrong or what happened for the Nuggets to come back?

KAWHI LEONARD: I think they started making shots. We came down -- really on the offensive end, kind of went cold on that end. We had some good looks. Just didn't fall. You know, they fought, they fought hard.

Q. Doc mentioned that he felt you guys weren't that disciplined defensively in the fourth. What did you see out there that kind of showed that or what did you think you were messing up in your coverages?

KAWHI LEONARD: Maybe just picking guys up too high off the floor. Giving them more open space. You know, they hit some good -- some big shots. Jokic came out and hit a three. Murray hit a bank-shot three, and they just had it rolling.

Q. After the last game, PG was talking about how important it was not to give this Denver team life considering their 3-1 deficit they came back against Utah, their confidence. Taking the temperature of the locker room post game, what's the feeling like in there and the resolve that you have to go into Game 6?

KAWHI LEONARD: Just having focus. Just knowing it's a learning lesson and you know stay even-keel, enjoy the moment and just come out and be prepared to play another hard-fought game.

Q. There was that one possession it was two-point, one down the right baseline -- right when you came back in. On a night when everything is on, when those two don't go down, what's going through your head in that moment? Is that frustration?

KAWHI LEONARD: I mean, shot just didn't go in. Next possession.

Q. Doc said he shifted the rotation a little bit in the second half to maybe get you some more rest. Do you remember that and what you felt at that time, did you feel like that was where the tide started turning?

KAWHI LEONARD: Have to watch the end of the game, but you know, I was out the second quarter and they did a good job of keeping the lead. You know, we need everybody, you know what I mean. The whole team, our 12 guys that's playing. So we have to see what happens, what you're talking about, but they did build coming into that fourth quarter, and we'll just see what happens.

Q. I'm just curious, does a game like this frustrate you or is it one you take in stride given basketball teams make runs?

KAWHI LEONARD: I mean, teams make runs all the time. You know, they know what they want to do. Like I said before, they got a good coach. Got two all-star calibre players over there and they are going to keep fighting, you know what I mean. It's a learning lesson for us. We had leads like this all year, and you know, teams that came back on us -- we just got to keep fighting. It's basketball. Go out there, have fun and play hard.

Q. You have 36 points and you were huge on defense. Do you think you're playing at your best or do you have another level you can reach?

KAWHI LEONARD: Just trying to win the basketball game. Next question, please.

Q. Lou Williams, he's kind of playing out of character and playing a lot better defense in the last couple games but his shot has been off. Is that a conversations you have with him or as a team, or what do you think about that?

KAWHI LEONARD: I mean, it's playoff basketball. You know, he's going to knock down shots. You know, not too worried about that. Everybody can score the ball on our team. Just got to say, next possession. As long as he's putting the effort out there and doing our team concept, all you've got to do is just go to the next play, that's it, next game.