The LA Clippers came into the 2021-22 NBA season knowing it would be an uphill battle navigating the season. They would be playing a majority of it, if not all of it, without their best player, Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard injured his knee in Game 4 of their second-round matchup against the Utah Jazz in last year’s playoffs. He eventually had to undergo surgery, which put his status for this season up in the air.
Playing without Leonard was tough, but at least the team had Paul George still to do the heavy lifting. But, they have also been without him since December 22nd as he is dealing with an elbow injury that will keep him sidelined a little longer.
Without their two All-Stars, there were some whispers that the Clippers would be open to moving veterans and starting to reshape their roster for next season. A drop in the standings was expected, but this is a roster that has no quit in them.
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Despite being short-handed, they have played well enough to remain in the playoff picture. They are 26-26 on the season and have had some truly memorable victories throughout the season. The most recent one came last Tuesday against the Washington Wizards.
LA trailed by as many as 35-points against Washington before mounting a miraculous comeback. Luke Kennard caught fire in the waning moments, completing a four-point play with 1.9 seconds remaining in the game. That was the first lead that the Clippers had in the game and it was enough to pull off the victory.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Phoenix Suns Continue To Display Dominance En Route To History
It was already the third time this season that the Clippers have overcome a deficit of at least 24-points. According to John Schuhmann, that is more than the rest of the NBA combined this season.
While the LA Clippers aren’t serious contenders without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they have a roster that will not give in the remainder of the season. If they can continue keeping the team afloat, for the time being, anything can happen if they get healthy in time for a postseason run.
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They have received excellent contributions and players are stepping up on a nightly basis. Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann have all played well in bigger roles with their stars absent.
