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Sports Illustrated ranks Kawhi, PG among top 10 NBA players

By Garrett Chorpenning

(FromR) Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, US basketball players Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank pose during the introduction of Leonard and George as the new players of the Los Angeles Clippers during a press conference in Los Angeles on July 24, 2019. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
(FromR) Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, US basketball players Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank pose during the introduction of Leonard and George as the new players of the Los Angeles Clippers during a press conference in Los Angeles on July 24, 2019. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) /
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The final installment of Sports Illustrated’s top 100 NBA players rankings are out, and both of the LA Clippers’ new stars found their way into the top 10.

Sports Illustrated has just released the final installment of its Top 100 NBA players list for the upcoming season, and LA Clippers fans will have something to smile about once they see it — both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are listed among the top 10.

The second-to-last part of the list came out Thursday, which unveiled Nos. 20-11. Leonard and George were both omitted there, so all that remained to be seen was the placement.

SI ranked George at No. 9, one spot ahead of Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and one below Denver Nuggets big Nikola Jokic. The outlet noted that, while the spot may seem a bit low for a “first-team, all-league defender”, health plays a role here. And since George’s status heading into the early parts of the season is unknown, it was difficult to place him any higher.

George did finish the 2018-2019 season as an MVP finalist, ranking behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden. His role this season will be somewhat different compared to the one he played with the Oklahoma City Thunder last year, but assuming he stays healthy, George could again find himself in the conversation. There’s nowhere else to go but up from his initial ranking.

SI ranked Leonard at No. 2, one spot ahead of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and one below Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo, the incumbent MVP. It’s a fair placement for Leonard, especially considering his health.

Leonard load managed his way through the 2018-2019 season, appearing in just 60 regular season games for the Toronto Raptors. He was an excellent performer during that stretch, but his postseason performance was next-level. Across 24 games against the league’s toughest opponents, Leonard averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 39.1 minutes per game.

Leonard has stated that his goal is to play the entire season in 2019-2020, but that seems less likely than fans might hope. Considering how well Toronto’s plan worked last season, as well as LA’s depth, load managing seems like a certainty. He’ll probably play more than 60 games, but 82 still feels like a bit of a stretch.

Other members of the LA Clippers on the list include Patrick Beverley (No. 81), Montrezl Harrell (No. 77) and Lou Williams (No. 53).

Next. LA Clippers rookies show off at Rico Hines. dark

With only a few weeks remaining until preseason basketball begins, LA Clippers fans won’t have to wait much longer to see this new team in action.

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