{"id":75135,"date":"2024-04-27T20:29:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-28T00:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=75135"},"modified":"2024-04-27T20:29:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-28T00:29:01","slug":"clippers-star-gets-injury-update-but-is-there-a-backup-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/27\/clippers-star-gets-injury-update-but-is-there-a-backup-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Clippers Star Gets Injury Update, But Is There a Backup Plan?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard<\/a> was restricted to 24.5 minutes of on-court playing time in Game 3, limited by knee inflammation. Finishing the contest with nine points, nine rebounds, and two assists to four turnovers, he was a shell of himself. Indeed, it was Leonard\u2019s worst postseason scoring effort since the 2014 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

After the game, Leonard addressed his ongoing knee pain<\/a>, saying \u201cit was pretty good the first game\u2026 It didn\u2019t respond the way we wanted it to<\/a>\u201d (h\/t the Los Angeles Times\u2019 Broderick Turner).<\/p>\n

\u201cFrustrating that it happened to me this late in the season. But, yeah, we\u2019re going to keep going. We\u2019re going to get it right.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201c\u2026It was either play limited minutes or not play,\u201d Leonard explains. \u201cAnd I wanted to be on the floor to help the team. And, that\u2019s what the results are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kawhi Leonard Gets Playoffs Update Amid Injury Concerns<\/h2>\n

Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs with knee soreness.<\/p>\n

Returning for Game 2 of their First Round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Leonard is averaging 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 29.7 minutes per game this postseason. On the bright side, the California native is shooting 45.8 percent from the field. Nonetheless, his meager scoring has dramatically decreased the Clippers\u2019 chances of defeating the Mavs.<\/p>\n

To that point, Leonard is all but irreplaceable even if L.A. does have another two-way star in Paul George<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Where George is a smooth shot-creator, Leonard is master technician, their differing styles complementary rather than incompatible. Frankly, it\u2019s strange that the Clippers haven\u2019t sought to acquire a player who can mimic Leonard or George\u2019s ability despite their injury history. A \u2018poor man\u2019s Kawhi\u2019 (or a \u2018poor man\u2019s PG\u2019) would come in handy in these circumstances. Nonetheless, L.A. can only make do with what they have. To that end, with Leonard hobbling around on one knee, the Clippers should seriously consider giving Amir Coffey<\/a> a larger role.<\/p>\n

A five-year NBA veteran, Coffey isn\u2019t known for his scoring with a career average of 5.8 points per game. However, in 2021-22, Coffee stepped up in a major way<\/a>. While averaging 11.3 points per contest (on 38.9 percent shooting from 3) over the last 47 games, he scored 20 or more points seven times in that stretch.<\/p>\n