Kendrick Perkins Makes His Ideas Clear On Clippers’ Playoff Potential

In December and January, the Los Angeles Clippers have been arguably the most well liked group within the NBA, however since then, they’ve hit a tough patch.

They’ve received simply seven of their final 15 video games, they usually have been coping with accidents, as Russell Westbrook and now Kawhi Leonard are out with hand and again accidents, respectively.

Leonard suffered his again ailment on Tuesday in a sport towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, a sport during which the Clippers blew a 22-point lead and acquired run over, 118-100.

ESPN persona Kendrick Perkins stated that Leonard’s availability will, in his opinion, be the distinction between a first-round exit and an actual shot on the NBA championship, by way of NBA on ESPN.

“With out Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers are a first-round exit, in my view … With Kawhi Leonard, they really might go on and win a championship.”@kendrickperkins on the Clippers’ potential with a wholesome Kawhi. pic.twitter.com/gDJsjv5ltX

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 13, 2024

As Perkins alluded to, fellow Clippers stars Paul George and James Harden have a historical past of being unreliable and underperforming within the playoffs, and Westbrook doesn’t have the best postseason resume himself.

Nonetheless, Leonard is a two-time world champion and NBA Finals MVP, and when he’s wholesome, many nonetheless contemplate him one of many 10 and even five-best gamers in basketball.

On the season, he’s averaging 23.7 factors a sport whereas capturing 52.3 % from the sector and 42.6 % from 3-point vary, and he’s certainly one of a handful of stars who can even lock down their opposition on the defensive finish.

Leonard has been injury-prone for a very long time and has notoriously sat out video games when seemingly wholesome for load administration, however this season, he has appeared in 58 of a attainable 64 contests.

The Clippers are at present in fourth place within the Western Convention, they usually received’t have a straightforward street to the NBA Finals, as they’d play the New Orleans Pelicans within the first spherical of the playoffs if the season ended proper now.

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