The Los Angeles Clippers were supposed to be one of the league’s driving forces.
Even though they’ve been nearly unstoppable when at full strength, that has rarely been the case over the past four years.
The Clippers are not the most popular team in the league either, so it’s not like fans cared too much about them being eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns.
Kawhi “The Klay” Leonard woke up feeling dangerous 😈😈
0 pts🤨🔥🔥
0-0 fg😢😹😹
0-0 ft😟😶🌫️😶🌫️
0asts☺️😊
1,000 claps🥸🥸
Load managing in the playoffs ✅✅✅Top 10 player in the league??? Hell no😹😹😹😹😭
— Honest KD Fan (@TrolledByKD) April 26, 2023
Naw! Put Kawhis face as the cover of ELIMNATED.
— G.Multani (@geemultani24) April 26, 2023
This should be Kawhi, not Russ… Be better ESPN
— Mona (@RealMona_) April 26, 2023
You probably don’t get a big return on kawhi because no one is going to want that contract with his availability but it’s time to look into getting rid of PG and blowing this up. The project has clearly failed
— 優木せつ菜 🇦🇷 (@nijigasakilove) April 26, 2023
We Over Me. 😂 pic.twitter.com/B9LCLXBiae
— Lakers Beat™️ ⚙️ (@Lakers_Line) April 26, 2023
Didn’t like every analysts say they had clippers in the finals?! 🤯
— Bobby (@BobbySolez) April 26, 2023
People forget just how good Kawhi Leonard is in the playoffs because, well, he’s never available in the playoffs.
Paul George also missed the entire series after suffering yet another injury, thus leaving Russell Westbrook to serve as a one-man show.
The Clippers were up against the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 and looked poised to extend the series for at least another game.
Then, Devin Booker entered “human torch mode” with a 25-point third quarter to take care of business, and the rest is history.
Even at full strength, the Clippers would’ve had a tough time going against the Suns’ offensive juggernaut, so they didn’t really stand a chance without their two best players.
This has been the case over and over since 2019, and not even Kawhi sitting out half of the regular season every year has helped him stay on the floor when it matters the most.
It seems like load management isn’t helping at all.
Or perhaps it’s time to accept that Leonard will never play a full season in his career again, let alone make a deep postseason run.
NEXT:
A Clippers Veteran Wants To Return
