For the fourth year in a row, Kawhi Leonard has been plagued by injuries during the NBA Playoffs, leading to the Clippers’ underperformance once again. The uncertainty surrounding his availability has been a recurring theme each year, and this season was no different. With the Clippers officially out of the playoffs, Lawrence Frank, the team’s President of Basketball Operations, shed some light on Leonard’s injury situation. It was revealed that Leonard would not have been able to play in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ongoing inflammation in his knee.
Despite multiple efforts to manage Leonard’s health, including load management and regular season play, the Clippers have not found a solution to keep him healthy during crucial playoff games. This season was marked by bad luck as Leonard’s absence was deeply felt by the team. Lawrence Frank emphasized Leonard’s importance to the team, noting his impact on the court and ability to elevate their performance.
Looking ahead to next season, the Clippers are hoping to retain their core players, including Leonard. However, Frank recognizes the need for improvement in other areas to complement their star players. Regardless of how they enhance their roster, Leonard’s availability during the playoffs will be crucial to their success.
The recurring theme of Kawhi Leonard’s injuries during crucial playoff games has been a significant setback for the Los Angeles Clippers for four consecutive years. Despite multiple attempts at managing his health through load management and regular-season play, he has been unable to stay healthy enough for high-pressure games.
This year proved particularly challenging as Lawrence Frank acknowledged that if it were not for Leonard’s ongoing inflammation in his knee, he would have played in Game 1 against Oklahoma City Thunder.
Frank highlighted how vital it is for Kawhi’s availability next season since he has such an impact on court performance and can significantly elevate his teammates’ game level.
The Clippers are determined to retain their core players next year but understand that they need to make improvements in other areas beyond just retaining them.
Regardless of how they improve their roster or strategy for managing Kawhi’s health during high-pressure situations like postseason games will determine whether they can overcome this obstacle and make it back into championship contention.