Kawhi Leonard Is Balling, But Is It Too Late? – Blavity
The Los Angeles Clippers are one interesting case. The team’s superstar, Kawhi Leonard, has enjoyed being available for his team for the better part of two months now. So far this season, they have dismissed Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul and have been dealing with a league investigation. Needless to say, the early part of this season was an uphill climb for the Clippers, especially with Leonard out of the lineup to begin the year. However, as of late, he has been putting up some amazing numbers. It has led the Clippers to an 8-2 record over their past 10 games.
Kawhi Leonard is heating up
While the Clippers have been tearing it up, Leonard has been averaging 32.5 points per game over the last 10 as well. Within that run, he even has a couple of 40+ point games in there as well. His impact on winning is undeniable. But what remains to be seen is if his team can continue their winning ways throughout the second part of the season. Not to mention whether or not he’ll be available enough for the Clippers to make a once very uncertain playoff run.
As it stands currently, the NBA All-Star Game hosting Clippers sit in 11th place in the Western Conference. They’re two games behind 10th place. A season ending in the 10th spot would allow them to participate in play-in games during the postseason. If, by some stroke of luck, the Clippers finish in the 6th spot or higher, they’ll officially avoid the play-in. This means that they’re showing signs of life at the right time.
Perfect timing for the Clippers
When you consider the current run they’re on, the other reason this is important is February. NBA All-Star Weekend is coming up quickly on the horizon. It would be unfortunate for the host team to be going in a total downward spiral during the weekend’s festivities. With the Clippers battling a challenging press throughout this season, it’s really the last thing that they need. In addition, the fanbase certainly deserves a break; they’ve been put through the wringer, without a doubt.
Ultimately, I don’t think that the Clippers are getting their lives together too late. This is probably the perfect time for them to be figuring out ways to win over prolonged stretches. As for the ramifications of the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers’ contractual practices, it remains to be seen. But hopefully, it won’t provide too much of a distraction as we head into the middle of the season. In fact, I’m confident that the NBA will square all of this away by the end of January, giving All-Star Weekend a fresh palette for everyone involved.
For Leonard’s sake, I hope that he remains healthy and willing to play. The Clippers have routinely underachieved throughout their existence. But they have woefully underachieved since moving into their new digs at Intuit Dome. If they want to no longer be the bridesmaid and become the bride, they have no choice but to win. I doubt they’ll make waves this season in a more consequential way; however, crazier things have happened.
The post Kawhi Leonard Is Balling, But Is It Too Late? appeared first on Blavity.
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