NBA

Kawhi Leonard surpasses NBA icons James Worthy and Klay Thompson after Clippers vs Nuggets Game 3

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, and Kawhi Leonard passed a milestone previously held by NBA legends James Worthy and Klay Thompson.

Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Chase Center on April 13, 2025
Ā© Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesKawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Chase Center on April 13, 2025

On Thursday night at Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers delivered a dominant performance and rolled past the Denver Nuggets 117–83 in Game 3 of the Western Conference playoffs first round. The game also allowed Kawhi Leonard to surpass NBA legends James Worthy and Klay Thompson in an impressive statistical achievement.

Leonard led the Clippers with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists in 35 minutes on the court. His effort not only helped the team secure a crucial win but also moved him up two spots on the NBA Playoffs all-time scoring list.

With 3,040 points, Kawhi now holds the 27th spot on the list, surpassing Los Angeles Lakers icon James Worthy (now 29th with 3,022) and Dallas Mavericks star Klay Thompson (now 28th with 3,032).

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And that’s not all—thanks to his performance Thursday night, the Clippers forward also improved his standing in total rebounds. He now ranks 41st on the NBA Playoffs all-time rebounding list with 1,109, passing Rasheed Wallace (1,099) and Nate Thurmond (1,101).

Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy

Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy

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Who are the top scorers in NBA Playoffs history?

With at least three more games guaranteed in this year’s NBA postseason, Kawhi Leonard has room to keep climbing the all-time playoff points leaderboard. The next target? A former teammate from the San Antonio Spurs: Manu Ginobili. The Argentine shooting guard ranks 26th with 3,054 points—just 14 ahead of Kawhi.

Nikola Jokic sends clear message to Kawhi Leonard’s doubters after Clippers’ Game 3 win over Nuggets

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Further up the list but still within reach is Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving, who has 3,088 points. Among active players still in the playoffs, the closest to Kawhi is his Clippers teammate James Harden, who sits 14th with 3,834 points.

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Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is on the verge of entering the top ten with 4,017 points, a mark he’s likely to surpass this postseason. Kevin Durant is 7th with 4,985 points—a number he won’t be able to improve this year, as the Phoenix Suns did not qualify for the playoffs. The top spot, of course, belongs to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, with 8,202 points.

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