The 2022-23 season will be the fourth year in the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George Clippers era, and most people can’t wait to see how far this team of star-studded offensive and defensive forces can achieve. In addition to this pair of great forwards, the Clippers lineup also has great lineup and depth thanks to off-season reinforcements.Each position has players with different backgrounds and different playing styles, in addition to tactical master Tyronn Lue, many pre-bets Seasonal Speedboats are listed among championship favorites.
The weaker one guard also added the 5 degree All-Star John Wall. Although he has only played 113 games in the past 5 years due to injuries, at least Wall has returned from retirement for the warm-up match.
In addition, Leonard and George have also returned from injury. Of course, the most important point of the new season of the Clippers is health. “I am looking forward to this season. Since I arrived in Los Angeles, I have not seen the health of the whole team. This season is very good for us. From the beginning I also want to know what kind of status I can reach when I can give my best “.
Below we list the 5 key points to watch the Clippers in the new season.
Will Kawhi Leonard be able to return to his heyday?
It’s been a long time since Leonard tore the ACL to his right knee in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs on June 14, 2021. It’s been a long time since Leonard played well on the pitch. , when Leonard averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.1 steals and shot 57.3 percent from the field.
Further reading:Gears of War Kawhi Leonard best playoff / classic battle record
After spending 14 months in rehab and training, Leonard is most visible to the naked eye in recently posted training photos. “He looks leaner and leaner.” George said, “The whole person looks more muscular and bigger. Like a tank, defending against him would be a nightmare.”
The Clippers will be very careful about Leonard’s health and cargo handling. The Clippers have a very complete first half of the schedule, 61 games before the star break and 11 games of the second in a row before February (15 for the whole season), so Leonard is very good There could be a respite in the back-to-back games. back.
Coming back from an LCA injury It is not easy to fully return to the top, especially Leonard’s style of play requires explosive strength and physical collision, but Leonard has experience in dealing with this situation.In the 2018-19 season, Leonard was also in Head In the case of just 9 games in a season, he returned from injury, played 60 games in the regular season and ultimately led Tyrannosaurus to win the championship at full strength in the playoffs.
“I didn’t play 5 on 5 in the off-season and I didn’t have any confrontation work, but everything is as natural as it once was on the pitch,” Leonard said after warming up, playing 16 minutes in his first game, scoring 11 points and 4 rebounds. “The same goes for me in the 2018-19 season. For the first time I was with my teammates.”
Clippers and Leonard’s shared goal is to get into the playoffs healthy and give their best in April, then let the two-time Finals MVP show his worth.
Will Leonard & George be able to reach the height and effect expected at the start?
Although this is the fourth season that Leonard and George have worked together, the two have only played in 104 regular season games together, going 72-32. Leonard and George haven’t played together since June 2021, so it’s going to take a while to get in.
George organized two small retreats in San Diego and Santa Barara during the off season and helped his young teammates pay for everything. Leonard did not play the full season last season and George was absent for three months due to injury, but the two would move with the team as long as he was allowed and participate in the analysis of the film and the team discussions.
Further reading:“Playoff P” Paul George classic playoff battle / peak record
When Leonard fell in 2021, single-core George also led the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in the team’s history. George also averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season, but missed the playoffs due to the virus.
George had to take on more offensive and defensive responsibilities early in the season to make Leonard feel better, but once Leonard returns to his best form, they will have the opportunity to show the core of the double striker they have been looking forward to integrating. attack and defense expectations. We have a mutual commitment, the goal is to win the championship, we came out strong together and now that we are all healthy, it’s time to get back in shape ”.
That’s why George thinks the offseason is important, both technically and physically, saying he’s more focused on training than ever. George expects the pair to take the Clippers to new heights without worry when Leonard returns.
Is John Wall the last piece of the puzzle for the Clippers?
Despite Reggie Jackson’s role as an offensive mover last season and his stellar performance in moments of friction, the Clippers still need a true point guard to deliver defeats and help Leonard and George create easy scoring opportunities.
