Throughout the course of the LA Clippers NBA tenure, seldom has anyone given them respect. Nor has anyone expected much from them.
The LA-based franchise has languished in basketball purgatory for decades, putting together tenuous ball clubs that would go on to accomplish little to nothing through their listless play. Currently, with a winning percentage of just 41.7%, only the Minnesota Timberwolves have won a lesser percentage of their regular season games.
Although the Clippers became synonymous with boneheaded plays, questionable draft selections, and blowout scores in favor of the opposition, over the past few years, LA has turned things around. While the Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan era never brought any championship banners to their empty rafters, the Clippers have built on those highly touted teams and appear primed and ready to take the next step.
In the mind of many, the Clippers will enter the 2022-23 season as one of the prohibited favorites to win it all. Still, while they appreciate the support, if the Clippers aren’t careful, they could find themselves falling short of their lofty goals.
Let’s take a look at the three keys that could lead to the Clippers having a transient postseason run next season.
1. Kawhi Leonard is not the same
Fans of the LA Clippers are waiting for their star Kawhi Leonard to return. Prior to tearing his ACL during the 2021 Western Conference Semis, Leonard had established himself as one of the game’s truly great players. With multiple All-Star selections under his belt, along with two Defensive Player of the Year awards, to go along with two NBA titles and two NBA Finals MVPs, Leonard may have been soft-spoken off the court but his game was as loud as ever.
Ultimately, regardless of his stellar and long resume, Leonard will have to answer several questions. Well, in actuality, just one overarching one. Is he the same player?
Unlike in years past, ACL tears have become more or less innocuous. Countless players have bounced back and performed at a high level. Be that as it may, Leonard will have to go out and prove it. If, for whatever reason, Leonard is unable to lock down opposing wing players while giving the Clippers 25 plus points a night, LA could survive during the regular season, but they’ll be ousted from the postseason sooner than expected.