Clippers’ success hinges on Kawhi’s health

If they do, Los Angeles can be a serious championship contender, if not, they will be a team that will be a playoff contender at best.

Although they have been under the radar due to the return to the top of the Golden State Warriors, the famous Los Angeles Lakers and the Kevin Durant – Kyrie Irving novel with the Brooklyn Nets, the Clippers have the quality to be the surprise.

1- What’s keeping the franchise awake at the moment?
Win now or else.

The Clippers are a franchise that is in win-now mode with the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and, perhaps, they don’t have much time left together to make it happen for the franchise.

The duo’s first season in LA ended in the West semifinals to the disappointment of their fans. The second season, the team was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals.

The previous season – without Leonard all year due to a torn right ACL – ended in the playoffs.

Now, with the 2022-2023 season the big challenge for the Clippers and Leonard and George will be joined by John Wall, who they hope will be the missing piece to win the title. Will they make it?

2- What is the biggest unfinished business for the Clippers?
Getting Kawhi Leonard healthy and making the duo with Paul George work and deliver results.

One of the biggest expectations in the NBA was the arrival two seasons ago of Kawhi to Leonard the Clippers, there was talk of the even fight they had with their city neighbors, Los Angeles Lakers for the dominance of the West; however, the forward has spent more time away than on the court and has failed to establish that connection with PG13 that would place the franchise in the group of championship contenders.

During the few games they played together, 14 at most, Leonard and George proved that when in rhythm they can be a fearsome pair. As an example, during four games in their first season together they combined for 183 points in six straight wins and left the Angelinos with a 13-5 record against the team then coached by Doc Rivers.

In those four games (during November 2019) they combined for 42 points against Boston Celtics; 43 against Houston Rockets, 44 against New Orleans Pelicans and closed with 54 having the Dallas Mavericks as rivals.

Undoubtedly, the greatest urgency for the Clippers’ management is for their stars to shine and from there start thinking about a possible championship, which for now looks distant taking into account the competition in the ‘Wild West’ and the growing improvement of the Eastern franchises.

3- Is it utopian to think that the Clippers will stay healthy?
Kawhi Leonard, who missed the entire 2021-22 season, has never played more than 74 games in his career. In fact, he has only surpassed the 70-game mark on a couple of occasions. That has meant nothing, however, when it comes to winning multiple championships and two Finals MVP’s.

In Paul George’s case, he played 81 games in 2015-16, and 80 two years earlier in 2013-14. Over the last three years he combines for just 133 games. He has not been a profitable player with the Clippers.

Add to that the fact that he will be 33 in the upcoming playoffs, along with Leonard’s 31, realistically speaking, the math tells us, he won’t play the full season with the Clippers.

But the important thing is to get healthy in the postseason. What happens there cannot be predicted. Both have had virtually a year off to recover. They have the best coach in the NBA, in my opinion, in Tyson Lue, who will know how to distribute their minutes.

So, yes, it is a utopia, but at the end of the road, the important thing will be something else: the luck factor. The Clippers need them both on the court if they want to aspire to a title.