National Basketball Association

Klawing His Way To The Top

Updated Sep. 4, 2020 8:38 p.m. ET

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the presumed favorites for this season's MVP award, seeing as how both have guided their teams to the top of their respective conferences.

But as the 2020 NBA playoffs continue to grow old, one giant hand is forcing its way into the best-player-in-the-world discussion.

Kawhi Leonard averaged 30.5 points in the 2019 playoffs, leading the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever NBA title while being named Finals MVP for the second time in his career.

And this year's version of The Klaw looks just as good as last year's – if not better.

In fact, Leonard has been so dominant that Nick Wright has him close to overtaking Antetokounmpo in his current rankings of the NBA's elite.

"I'm about a week away from flipping him and Giannis. The way Kawhi has played this whole postseason, and with Giannis struggling the way he is against the Heat, it is becoming very hard to argue, no matter how brilliant Giannis is in the regular season, that come the most important time that Kawhi isn't the player you'd rather have."

So far this postseason, Leonard is averaging 32.3 points through seven playoff games. He's shooting 56.2% from the field, grabbing 9.0 rebounds per game and dishing out 4.9 assists.

His points, assists, and field goal percentage have all made a jump in comparison to 2019.

In the seven playoff games so far, Leonard has scored at least 32 points in five of them, and in the two games he failed to reach 30 points, he settled for 29.

His offense has been highlighted by an otherworldly display of mid-range shooting.

Kawhi's dominant display has Chris Broussard ready to place Leonard above Antetokounmpo today.

"Kawhi can get a bucket whenever. Doc [Rivers] said it last year, he does remind you of Michael Jordan. I'm not saying he is as good but his ability in the mid-range – obviously he is a two-way player – he is killing people in the mid-range game."

Both Broussard and Wright agree that James being placed a tier above Leonard is acceptable – for now.

However, if the Clippers and Lakers both win their second round series, Leonard and James will have the opportunity to face-off in the Western Conference Finals to decide who the best player in the world truly is at this point in time.

If that time comes, it appears The Klaw will be more than ready to hold his own.