The LA Clippers will be without Paul George for at least a little bit as the All-Star deals with bone edema in his right foot. In the most recent two games, the team was unable to overcome his absence, earning their first back-to-back losses of the year.
Those two games can likely be chalked up to growing pains for the team, learning to play without PG in their rotation. Going forward though, they need several guys to step up.
Here are three players the LA Clippers need to step up while Paul George is out.
3. LA Clippers’ player that must step up: Kawhi Leonard
Can the team really ask that much more of Kawhi Leonard? Not really.
Do they need him to step up regardless? Yes.
I think Kawhi absolutely will step up but his increase in production is the least needed on the team.
While Kawhi has been having an MVP-caliber season of his own, the Clippers will need him to just a bit more while PG is out. Sure, adding to his scoring (26.0 points per game) would be great but what the team really needs out of Kawhi is playmaking.
Leonard is putting up 5.1 assists per game now which is a career-high but the starting unit will be without George’s career-high 5.5 per game. I’m not saying Leonard needs to double up his efforts to make up for PG but adding 1-2 a game to his total would be extremely helpful.
It would also help if they came from similar spots. George is great at attacking the rim and drawing defenses in. With him off the court, teams might key a little more on the Clippers’ shooters. More aggression from Kawhi will definitely help and he’s going to have to take his primary star role a little more seriously.
This might be the time he pushes himself right into the MVP conversation given he is going to have to be THE guy as opposed to being part of a superstar duo.