Los Angeles Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Set To Return Against the Cleveland Cavaliers
Los Angeles Clippers Small Forward Kawhi Leonard is set to make his return tomorrow afternoon against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing the last 10 games with an ankle/foot injury. Leonard last played against the Miami Heat on November 3 and has not played in just under three weeks. With Los Angeles falling fast in the standings, they’ll need Leonard to make an immediate impact.
Clippers Are In Serious Trouble
Since Leonard went down, it’s been an absolute nightmare for the Los Angeles Clippers. They are currently the sixth-worst team in the NBA, and they currently have one of the best chances at the top pick in the upcoming Draft.
Even with Leonard’s return, the roster is simply not good enough to compete unless Leonard and James Harden both play at MVP levels to carry the load. Having a lot of veterans is clearly hurting them because every team needs young talent to win in this era of basketball. We clearly saw how bad the Philadelphia 76ers were last season, trying to compete with “proven” veterans rather than young developmental talent.
Leonard will still be a huge boost to this team if he can build up some consistent playing time. He is a tremendous player on both sides of the ball and will hopefully lead the Clippers to a much-needed winning streak to get themselves competing for a playoff spot. The good news for Leonard is that he’s returning right before Thanksgiving, meaning he will have multiple days off between games as he works his way back.
The record might not show it, but Los Angeles has lost many of its games by single digits because opposing teams double-team Harden late in games. Having Leonard back will open up even more opportunities for Harden and the rest of the starting lineup.
Clippers Can Turn It Around Quickly
Despite a three-game losing streak, the Clippers remain very much alive in the standings early on in the season. Los Angeles is currently the 13th seed in the West, and just one game out of a play-in tournament position. Both the 8 and 9 seeds are under .500, meaning the Clippers aren’t too far behind.
They will have some work to do in their division, in fourth place, and 3.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors, who are in third. We’ll be saying it until what seems 2055 – but Sam Presti has the chance to do the funniest thing yet again.
The Paul George trade is the gift that keeps on giving for the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC owns the Clippers’ first-round pick this year. If Los Angeles continues to struggle, the Thunder could strike gold and land another high pick in the first round in the upcoming draft.
