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Kawhi Leonard shaking off the cobwebs of a season mostly lost has been nothing short of a tour de force.

Limited to nine games a year ago, Leonard through six games has moved from a somewhat tentative, somewhat weak in the legs shooter (and by that we mean leaving shots short) to a dominant on-target scorer who can get to any spot on the floor from where he is most likely to be successful and then finishing with regularity.

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If we’re all honest with ourselves, we all thought he would get there eventually. That he has done so this quickly is the surprise.

Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle who has spent the past few years game-planning for that version of Leonard sees him almost back to the player he was when he dominated the Western Conference, but he sees another level yet to come.

“I’ve watched the last several games and he looks great, he is shooting it great,” Carlisle said. “As time goes on and he gets his legs more and more under him, I just expect he is going to be stronger and stronger and more in rhythm.”