Kawhi Leonard is one of the top superstars in the league when he’s healthy, and he is slowly rounding into being himself with the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the course of the last 10 games, Kawhi Leonard has averaged 22.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.9 APG while shooting 36.6% from the 3PT range.
Even though Kawhi Leonard clearly looks better on the court, the Los Angeles Clippers have not done well recently, with the team notably losing six games straight before their recent win against the Dallas Mavericks.
Part of the reason the Los Angeles Clippers having a mediocre record this year is due to Kawhi Leonard having minutes restrictions. Recently, Kawhi Leonard expressed frustration at this situation, claiming that the team was “losing games” because of the minutes restrictions.
“When it’s a minutes restriction it’s frustrating. Cuz I’m not going in there jacking shots, I’m tryna play team basketball. It was frustrating. We were losing games at that point from minutes restrictions.”
Over the Los Angeles Clippers’ last 10 games, Kawhi Leonard has averaged 32.6 MPG, which is noticeably higher than his season average of 29.3 MPG. There is no doubt that the Clippers are being cautious with their superstar, and taking the time to ramp him up and ensure he gets back to being his best.
Still, it makes sense that Kawhi Leonard was frustrated with his minutes restrictions this year, as he is a competitor that wants to win. His being healthy come playoff time is the biggest priority, but hopefully, we see Kawhi Leonard play more minutes in the future.
The Clippers Could Win The Western Conference If Kawhi Leonard Is Healthy
Kawhi Leonard is known for being an insane playoff player, and he has shown that he can be the No. 1 option on a playoff team in the past. Previously, Paul Pierce suggested that the Los Angeles Clippers could be the best Western Conference team in the playoffs if Kawhi Leonard is at his best by then.
If Kawhi is going to be at his best come playoff time, the Clippers could be the best team in the West.
It is easy to see why the Los Angeles Clippers are being cautious with Kawhi Leonard. He has a lengthy injury history, notably tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs. It makes sense to be conservative with his ramp-up due to that.
Hopefully, we see the Los Angeles Clippers maintain a playoff position and get back to being a force in the Western Conference. They have a chance against anyone with Kawhi Leonard healthy, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
Source: fadeawayworld
