The increased availability of Kawhi Leonard has turned the Los Angeles Clippers into a potent force in the West. Despite the injuries restricting his playing time in recent seasons, the 2x champion has featured in 50 out of 57 of the franchise’s matches this campaign. Amidst a remarkable turnaround in his participation, the 32-year-old shed light on the underlying reasons in a typical Kawhi-esque manner.
Advertisement
After the conclusion of their recent home game against the Sacramento Kings, the Clippers star appeared in the post-match conference. A key point of discussion turned out to be his average playing time of 34.3 minutes this season compared to his career average of 31.7. Amidst the anticipation over the matter, the California-born highlighted the root cause behind it.
“Not tearing my ACL and not tearing my meniscus,” the 6x All-Star declared to summarize the scenario. On one hand, the seemingly straightforward nature of the response captured the well-known unsocialized aspect of his character. On the other hand, his words carried immense volume following his recent encounters with those setbacks.
In the 2021 playoffs, the 6ft 7″ star had partially torn his right ACL during Game 4 against the Utah Jazz. It resulted in a swelling of the knee, and sidelining him for the rest of the post-season run of the Clippers. Despite the series win, his void eventually became too big to be filled as the organization succumbed in the Conference finals.
A similar fate haunted the Clippers in the 2023 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns. After averaging 34.5 points per game in the first two matches, the 2x Finals MVP tore his right meniscus, causing pain in his knee. Once again, his unavailability became the turning point of the campaign as the franchise lost the series 4-1.
Apart from these, his encounters with sprained ankles and quadriceps tendinopathy have been recurring themes throughout his career. Thus, the ongoing run of games without a significant setback has evidently come across as a surprising trend for NBA followers. The Clippers fans would undoubtedly hope for it to continue as the small forward remains the central cog of the roster.
Paul George’s Verdict on Kawhi Leonard
The charismatic on-court display of Leonard has previously even received praise from his number two, Paul Geroge. Earlier this year, the 33-year-old candidly talked about the impact of his teammate in an episode of Podcast P with Paul George. While expressing his disbelief, the 9x All-Star shed light on the Klaw’s greatness.
“He making it look easy and it is easy for him. He got that much respect. When he post up, they doubling him right away. We not even let you get a shot off right here. That’s how effective he is and getting to his spots…I was looking at him yesterday, actually watching him in the game. I’m just like, ‘Bro, some people are just meant to hoop,'” the 6ft 8″ star mentioned.
Right ahead of it, the 2019 steals leader had put into focus the close bond between them during an episode with Bleacher Report. PG13 highlighted the possible reasons, stating, “I guess, I get him. Understand him. I vibe with him. We’re on the same page with one another. There’s just a mutual respect there”.
Despite the differences in gameplay, the similarity in mindset has definitely been a key part of their relationship. With both the stars operating at a high level to help the franchises reach the next level, the future looks bright at this stage. Therefore, an expected outcome from the upcoming post-season remains a significant possibility.
