Coming off a home loss against the Utah Jazz, the LA Clippers currently hold a 5-6 record. Ty Lue and crew have been relying on the basketball brilliance of Paul George amid the uncertain health status of Kawhi Leonard, looking to improve their 29th offensive ranking.
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Fortunately for Clips fans, PG13 has been able to lift most of the effort on the offense, coming up big during clutch time. Sadly, the seven-time All-Star’s 34-points were enough against the Jazz, who snapped the Clippers’ 3-game winning streak lately.
Paul George’s last 5 games:
35 Points, 9 Rebounds, 57% FG
28 Points, 4 Rebounds, 50% FG
35 Points, 2 Rebounds, 70% FG
34 Points, 8 Rebounds, 50% FG
26 Points, 5 Rebounds, 50% FG pic.twitter.com/9DwNW2pnmo— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 8, 2022
Though there is no denying the contributions of Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris Sr. or new entrant Paul George, the Clips are a second-round exit team without The Klaw. The two-time Finals MVP did make his season debut, coming off an ACL injury but has been dealing with some of its repercussions.
Kawhi has missed eight consecutive games so far, dealing with knee stiffness. Nonetheless, according to reports, the two-time champion is progressing well.
Is Kawhi Leonard playing tonight?
In the battle of LA, the Clippers will be hosting the Lakers tonight, a must-win contest for both sides. Their second meeting since the opening night, Coach Lue and co hope to extend their record to 2-0. Sadly, Kawhi will not be suiting up for tonight’s game, with no timetable to return.
Kawhi Leonard is OUT for the Clippers tomorrow vs. the Lakers.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 9, 2022
Setback for the fans who anticipated a battle between The Klaw and King. A win against the purple and gold would take the Clippers to a +500 mark, with chances to go further up as they faced a Kyrie Irving-less Nets and the bottom-seeded Houston Rockets.
Touted as one of the top contenders to win the west, the Clippers have one of the most well-rounded rosters, making it in their best interests to wait for a healthy Kawhi to return, who since arriving in LA LA Land has held a 6-2 record against the purple and gold.
