The Los Angeles Clippers (14-10) are the defining examples of cold and hot. When the Clippers win with out Kawhi Leonard on the courtroom, they really feel nice. After they lose with out Leonard, it isn’t fairly.
On Wednesday evening, the LA Clippers took considered one of their worst losses of the season as they fell at house to the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-80. The Clippers discovered themselves down 86-50 going into the fourth quarter as they suffered poor taking pictures from their stars and had a protracted record of injured contributors.
There’s some excellent news after the hardest and embarrassing loss as Leonard was seen doing drills and working towards taking pictures the ball for the first time this season on Thursday. The Clippers might have their celebrity again for the primary time this season.
Clippers followers haven’t had it straightforward when coping with Leonard’s steady and unlucky accidents. He has but to complete a postseason wholesome because the 2020 NBA Bubble.
There’s the assumption that he’s losing the Clippers’ means to get one other celebrity, however when he does play, he is among the best two-way gamers within the league.
Leonard arguably had his finest season final 12 months in his profession by enjoying 68 video games whereas taking pictures a median of 23.7 factors per sport on a field-goal proportion of 52.5%, a three-point taking pictures proportion of 41.7% and a free-throw taking pictures proportion of 88.5%. He additionally averaged 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks.
Outdoors of final 12 months’s playoffs the place he tried to play via a knee damage, Leonard has been averaging 30 factors per sport within the postseason for the Clippers. Leonard has the tenacity, superior athleticism, decision-making and clutch taking pictures to stay one of many prime gamers within the league.
Clippers followers had been excited to see what this roster of dependable veterans might do with out Paul George. Level guard James Harden continues to be a high-volume shooter and passer. Middle Ivica Zubac, ahead Derrick Jones Jr. and guard Kris Dunn have been glorious.
The participant who has stepped up probably the most within the absence with out Leonard is taking pictures guard Norman Powell, who’s averaging a team-high 23.9 factors per sport taking pictures a 50.5% field-goals proportion and a three-point proportion of fifty.7%.
He’s seemingly a participant that may stay within the beginning lineup as soon as Leonard is obtainable. Powell, nevertheless, is coping with an injured hamstring that’s retaining him in-and-out of the lineup.
To make issues worse, the Clippers might be with out guard/ahead Terance Mann for 3 weeks to restore a fractured finger.
The Clippers have a banged-up roster like some other workforce, however their finest participant has but to make an look this season.
Whereas they’ve been holding their very own within the brutal Western Convention standings, they are going to want Leonard to assist stabilize the workforce and provides opponents their finest performances with the intention to get constant wins in opposition to the highest groups within the league.
Getting two strong wins over the Denver Nuggets is nice, however a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics and two losses to Minnesota (one blowout and one by one-point) isn’t going to get them nearer to the upper seeds.
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