The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the latest teams to be knocked out of the first round. However, the organization may have more pressing concerns. Despite playing in games one and two, Clippers superstar, Kawhi Leonard, missed the rest of the series. Without Kawhi and Paul George, their two stars, Los Angeles was outmatched against the newly constructed super team that is the Phoenix Suns. However, with the most recent diagnosis (torn meniscus) to Kawhi Leonard, the organization may have to do some soul searching.
Kawhi Leonard Suffered Torn Meniscus in Series Against Phoenix
Kawhi Leonard’s Season
Despite the load management accusations and nagging knee injuries, Kawhi Leonard is always a superstar on the court when he does play. This year was no exception. He had a career year from three-point territory as he shot 41.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Additionally, the former Finals MVP averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 total rebounds per game, and a free-throw shooting percentage of 87.1 percent. He also possessed a solid box plus/minus rating of +6.1 on top of a true shooting percentage of 62.3 percent, another career-best for the two-time champion. Despite playing in only 52 games this season, Kawhi Leonard was still arguably the best player on the court for the Los Angeles Clippers. However, the knee injuries are starting to become more and more concerning.
A Long and Ugly History With Injuries
This is not the first time Kawhi has had trouble with his knees. He missed the entirety of last season due to ACL surgery. Leonard also suffered a knee injury the last time he participated in the postseason back in the 2021 playoffs. That season, Los Angeles made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals where they were defeated by the Phoenix Suns. Even before his tenure in Los Angeles, Leonard’s knees were the cause of a lot of discussion before he forced his way out of San Antonio, which led to his one-year stop with the Toronto Raptors.
It was arguably the greatest one-year rental in NBA history as the former Defensive Player of the Year led the Raptors to their only title in franchise history. As a result, this solidified his status as one of the best superstars in the NBA, despite the load management scenario. However, the Clippers have not quite reaped the same rewards as the Spurs and Raptors. With the knee injuries becoming more common, both Los Angeles’ and Kawhi Leonard’s futures are hard to predict as of right now.
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