It’d been practically 16 months since LA Clippers ahead Kawhi Leonard performed an NBA recreation earlier than Tuesday night time’s preseason win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Leonard completed with 11 factors in 16 minutes however, extra importantly, appeared to be absolutely recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in recreation 4 of the 2021 Western Conference semifinals towards the Utah Jazz.
Last season the Clippers hung round by way of the first two months of the season with Paul George main the means till he went down with an harm in late December. Paul missed over three months earlier than returning at the finish of March, however the harm had been performed. The Clippers fell from the high 5 when George was wholesome down into the play-in match, the place they had been eradicated, lacking the playoffs only one 12 months faraway from the franchise’s first WCF look.
That’s all behind them now, as a result of Leonard and George are back and wholesome, making the Clippers a favourite in the West this 12 months. Stacked up towards the remainder of the West, this LA workforce has the instruments and depth to make a run at the Warriors’ western convention crown.
Of course, every part relies on Leonard’s skill to keep on the flooring and be obtainable in the postseason. Based on that notion, the Clippers have greater than sufficient depth to compete with the greatest groups in the NBA. Over the final two years, head coach Tyronn Lue has proved that he’s greater than a product of LeBron James. Lue can coach and has been labeled by many as the greatest coach in the league at adjusting.
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LA ought to have the ability to go deep into their lineup, with 10 gamers receiving important minutes on a given night time. Having that depth also needs to assist protect Leonard and George by way of the lengthy 82-game season.
In the backcourt alone, minutes shall be tight with a six-guard rotation. Besides George, the Clippers have Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Luke Kennard, and the latest addition John Wall as gamers that can battle for minutes on the flooring. Leonard, Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, and Robert Covington comprise the Clippers’ frontcourt and will all see important minutes, relying on the matchup. And many of those gamers can play a number of positions.
The highway to profitable in the NBA is tough, however these groups with depth are normally amongst the final left standing in the finish. Sure, this league is about stars, however these stars additionally have to be surrounded by items that match their recreation and what they do greatest on the court docket. The Clippers nonetheless don’t have a real start line guard, as Jackson is extra of a combo guard, however as we’ve seen in the previous, he can actually get the job performed in massive moments when referred to as upon.
But once more, none of this issues with out Leonard on the court docket when it issues. Depth is implausible — we simply noticed the Warriors and Celtics meet in the Finals possessing two of the deeper rosters in the affiliation. Hopefully, there gained’t be a necessity for an excessive amount of load administration in Clipperland this 12 months, and Leonard can play not less than 65 video games. That’s a feat he hasn’t achieved since he was in San Antonio.
Again, the essential purpose is to maintain Leonard and PG-13 wholesome sufficient to make a run in the playoffs. This is what the Clippers ought to be centered on heading into the 2022-23 marketing campaign. You get to play numerous dangerous groups by way of the course of an NBA season. These Clippers are adequate to beat most groups in this league. Against the high 4 or 5 groups in the NBA is the place stars and depth shall be most essential. If the Clippers can get by way of the season primarily wholesome, there isn’t any cause they will’t be proper back in the WCF.
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