Death, taxes, and the Los Angeles Clippers not having Kawhi Leonard in the playoffs.
That has been the case with this team since they signed the former Finals MVP, and that’s the case again this season.
They’re now facing elimination, and Leonard is once again highly doubtful of being available to help their cause.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Clippers are currently bracing themselves to play without Leonard ahead of Game 6 of their first-round series (via Run It Back).
"My sense is that the Clippers are fully preparing that they're not going to be with [Kawhi Leonard], or have him back in the lineup for a game 6, they know they have to really essentially continue to win without him."@ShamsCharania on Kawhi Leonard.
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— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 2, 2024
Leonard is one of the best two-way players in the game when healthy, but he hasn’t been healthy often.
He played most of the season and raised even more doubts about his constant load management, with people stating that he didn’t sit out because of the league’s new and improved eligibility rules.
However, he got hurt at the end of the season again, and he even hurt his team when he was on the court vs. the Dallas Mavericks, going 0-2 with him and 2-1 without him.
Tyronn Lue’s team is familiar with being in this kind of position, both at a disadvantage in the series and playing without Leonard.
The Clippers are stuck with him for years to come after signing him to a contract extension.
Paul George, on the other hand, might have to make a tough decision this summer as he weighs his options in free agency, as it’s become painfully evident that Leonard will never be healthy enough come playoff time, and he could still pursue a championship somewhere else.
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