To make the playoffs, the LA Clippers must do far more than what they did for the first 82 games. With everything at risk, each player, coach, and staff trainer must master their specialties.
Moreover, superstar James Harden will drive the unit offensively with his iconic scoring and playmaking package. However, he will be trusted to shoot the ball efficiently in the playoffs. This has been one of the few limitations he has failed to surpass, as he shoots under 40% from the field.
Additionally, offensive velocity between star talents like Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac could be the determinant. If they succeed when all is at stake, the Clippers can win four out of seven over any matchup in the Western Conference.
Nonetheless, in this upcoming postseason, there will be eyes on the Clippers, with extreme pressure, to make it far and hopefully win the NBA Finals. This is because of franchise superstar Kawhi Leonard, his health, and how history has panned out.
If Kawhi Leonard goes down during the playoffs, the Clippers will undergo the 'Charlie Brown' sequence
No matter how many games the LA Clippers receive from Kawhi Leonard in the regular season, he has a history of going down and not returning in the playoffs. The outcome: LA has never made the final stage, even with three hall-of-famers.
Furthermore, this season has already been strange for Leonard. He is posting 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while missing plenty of time to recoup his competence. These numbers are the lowest he has recorded since 2017-18 with the San Antonio Spurs, when he only played nine games due to a quadriceps injury.
Additionally, in two out of five of Leonard's active seasons with the Clippers, LA vacated the playoffs in the first round(2023 and 2024). In the season he was inactive(2022), they lost two games in the play-in tournament.
That said, Leonard must withstand any injury for the Clippers to accomplish what they aspired to in 2019, when they traded away a historic package of talent and draft capital for Paul George. If he goes down again, LA will be in the midst of a 'Charlie Brown' moment, as they will swing and miss the football with an early exit.
Conversely, if Leonard can complete his first playoff run since 2020, the Clippers could be this year's team that rallies toward the Larry O'Brien trophy.