Milwaukee Bucks' defense stands ground down the stretch to stifle Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard
On Thursday night, two of the most talented teams in the NBA faced off. On one side were the Milwaukee Bucks—a team that takes great pride in playing ferocious defense. On the other were the Los Angeles Clippers—a squad that brings incredible scoring threats with the presence of All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Something had to give, and the Bucks proved they were up for the challenge.
Clamps on "The Klaw"
The game came down to the wire, and it was Leonard who had a chance to give his team a lead with just under 30 seconds left in regulation. The Clippers ran a couple of isolation plays designed to get Kawhi a good look, but Milwaukee's defense didn't budge and forced the five-time All-Star into misses on his normally-automatic mid-range jumpers.
Veteran wingman Wesley Matthews said he was ready for the moment as he drew the assignment of defending Leonard during the game's final possession.
“I've been doing that since my mom told me I've got to guard the best player when I was 4 years old,” Matthews said. “That's just who I am. Nothing but respect for those guys. I feel like those guys have that same toward me. The best way to pay them respect is to try and stop them. The best way they can pay me respect is to go after me.”
Jrue contributes on both ends of the court
Jrue Holiday is considered to be one of the league's best defensive guards for a reason. He showed his skills and basketball IQ while defending Leonard. He also contributed on the other side of the court with 12 points and 8 assists on the night when he became an All-Star for the second time in his career. Interestingly, the first time that he received the honor was 10 years ago.
Leonard finished with only 17 points, making just seven of his 26 attempts from the field. Milwaukee's defense was so stifling that the Clippers did not score a single point for the last 3:52 of the game.
