About three weeks into the new NBA season, some trends are starting to emerge, and that includes good or great players that are off to a bad start.
Luckily, we’re only about 10 percent of the way into the schedule, which means these men have every opportunity to turn things around, but for right now, these two players have been a disappointment.
1. LeBron James
LeBron James has been a marvel of nature, not just because of his athletic gifts and prolific production, but also because of his longevity.
Last season, his 19th in the NBA, he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 52.4 percent from the field.
But so far this year, he’s down to 24.3 points a contest on 44.7 percent overall shooting and 21.0 percent from 3-point range.
The four-time MVP has admitted he has been dealing with an infection over the past several days, which may be a factor in those poor numbers, especially given it’s such a small sample space.
However, he’s shot over 50 percent just once in nine games so far.
Is he simply ailing a bit because he’s been sick, or is this the start of his long-awaited decline?
2. Kawhi Leonard
With Kawhi Leonard apparently recovered from a partially torn ACL that cost him all of last season, pundits expected him to once again be one of the game’s best players, and they also expected the Clippers to be the favorites to win the NBA championship.
Nothing of that sort has happened.
Leonard has played only two games – while coming off the bench – and the knee he originally injured has forced him out of the lineup for the past couple of weeks, and there’s reportedly no timetable for his return.
Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss his 8th straight game today against the Cavaliers due to knee injury management.
The timetable on his return to the court remains “uncertain”, per @NotoriousOHM. pic.twitter.com/ckeuHDEEJY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 7, 2022
Not coincidentally, the Clippers are just 6-5, and instead of looking like vicious lions, they seem about as harmless as a kitten right now.
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