Despite losing at home to the Jazz and resting most of their key players, the Mavericks suffered a defeat to the Pistons, securing the Clippers’ home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This led Tyronn Lue to sub out core starters like Harden and George early, knowing that the outcome wouldn’t affect the Clippers’ final ranking. In the upcoming game against the Rockets, it’s expected that the Clippers will rest all their key players, preparing for the playoffs to ensure no additional injuries occur. Considering the regular season, the Clippers’ performance this season has been satisfactory. Knee injury, goodbye Clippers, Harden, the key to championship is on you, affecting your own future.
Overall, the Clippers’ performance in the regular season is satisfactory. Despite ultimately dropping out of the top three in the Western Conference, the Clippers have shown commendable performance, climbing from the 11th position to the 4th position in the West. Fortunately, with the Nuggets unexpectedly losing to the Spurs, in a tie with the same record, they are positioned behind the Timberwolves and the Thunder. This means, barring any surprises, the Clippers won’t face the Nuggets before the Western Conference Finals, which is definitely good news for them. However, it goes without saying that the Clippers only have a chance when all players are healthy. Of course, this applies to any team, and the core of the Clippers lies in Leonard.
Other issues concerning the Clippers are irrelevant now; their primary concern should be Leonard’s condition. Against the Jazz, both Harden and George returned, but Leonard didn’t play. Clearly, his absence isn’t just a regular rest, but a genuine concern. Whether it’s to secure the 4th spot in the West or to find rhythm for the playoffs, the Clippers wouldn’t rest Leonard for such an extended period if there weren’t significant issues. NBA teams typically prepare their core players during the preseason to get a feel for competition, as training and actual gameplay are vastly different scenarios. Moreover, now is the time to prepare for the playoffs. Ideally, Leonard’s return for the playoffs would provide him with over two weeks of rest, but his situation is unusual.
According to Clippers beat reporter Murray, Leonard appeared at the team’s shooting warm-up before the game against the Jazz. However, he only underwent some rehabilitation treatments and strength training, without engaging in on-court shooting practice. Typically, a returning player goes through a tedious process before being allowed to participate fully, starting with rehabilitation and strength training before progressing to shooting practice. Essentially, Leonard hasn’t even reached the shooting practice stage yet.
Subsequently, Clippers president Frank’s statement on Leonard’s injury further worried concerned fans. Frank said, “He (Leonard) is dealing with inflammation in his knee. Everyone knows he’s had several surgeries on his knee, and swelling will restrict his movements on the court, making him less agile. Our medical staff is doing everything possible to help Leonard recover.” Moreover, when asked about Leonard’s expected return, Tyronn Lue expressed “hope” for Leonard to play in the first-round series, further confirming Leonard’s knee issue.
Knee problems are troublesome for anyone, as they can significantly affect a player’s mobility, more so than muscle injuries. Full recovery from such injuries is incredibly challenging. Undoubtedly, Leonard determines the Clippers’ ceiling; this team has the capability and opportunity to contend for the championship, hinging greatly on Leonard. If he continues to be unavailable, the Clippers may struggle even in the first round against the Mavericks. From Leonard’s perspective, although he has signed a $149 million, 3-year contract extension with the Clippers, resolving his contract issues for the next few years, this season is crucial for his pursuit of greatness. Over the past three seasons, Leonard has prematurely ended each season due to knee injuries, missing an entire season once. However, this hasn’t had a significant impact on his personal career, as evident in this season where the Clippers are still in contention for the championship, and Leonard has secured a lucrative contract. But if the Clippers fail to win the championship this season due to Leonard’s injury issues, the management may consider breaking up the team during the offseason. Leonard’s aspirations to lead a team to a championship as a core leader again will be exceedingly challenging in the future, which could have a significant negative impact on his legacy.
