Clippers Injury Updates: Kawhi Leonard Progressing, Norman Powell Returns in Win

(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Missing Piece

Leonard first went out on March 31st, when he was sidelined due to knee inflammation. The issue persisted into the playoffs and caused him to miss the final eight games of the regular season in addition to four playoff games against the Mavericks.

He hasn’t been on the court since.

Even so, the Clippers currently sit at 12-9 and occupy the ninth seed in the west. They are not as well-rounded as they were when they had Paul George, but they have enough firepower where a little extra starpower could create a run. Leonard could well be that star power.

The strong guard is still one of the most skilled players in the league, averaging 20 points a game for his career to back up 6.4 rebounds and 3 assists. He also has numerous rings and knows how to win in the postseason.

Unfortunately, he also has plenty of health issues. Since joining Los Angeles, Leonard has missed time every season. He played in 57 games his first year with the team, then 52 the next two before playing in 68 last season.

Getting Leonard Up to Speed

Though some fans are certainly skeptical given Leonard’s injury history and his proclivity for missing games, the Clippers report that Leonard is able to get on the court and shoot around. Those are two things he could not do just a few months back.

“He’s been able to get on the court and do some things on the court, which is good for us,” coach Tyronn Lue said when talking about Leonard’s recovery. “Just still checking every box, making sure he’s doing the right things and his workouts are really good. Making sure we don’t let it get to the next step until he checks those boxes…Making sure that we make sure he’s 100 percent when he comes back.”

That’s incredibly promising, especially for a player who could only “shoot a little bit” in the last update.

As of right now, the lingo and discussion surrounding the superstar seem to indicate it could be at least a few more weeks until he’s game-ready. Until then, the Clippers hope they can do what it takes to stay relevant.

Clippers Just Biding Their Time

Getting Leonard back from his ailment would be huge for a team that appears to be on the cusp of something big. While many expected the Clippers to just roll over without their superstar leading the way, they’ve pulled together and toughed out some gutsy wins.

A lot of that is due to the rise of Norman Powell, who has completely come into his own this season. James Harden has also carried a lot of the load and managed to put up impressive numbers to keep Los Angeles afloat.

The team is playing by committee right now, and that approach is working quite well. Everyone is contributing in one way or another, and their tenacious defense is going a long way towards keeping them in games they would otherwise lose.

However, while the Clippers are in the playoff hunt early in the season, if they want to exceed expectations and make a serious championship run, they’re going to need Leonard to keep up with some of the better teams in the west.

The Return of Norman Powell

Everyone in L.A. wants Leonard to return, but the team is being careful with his rehab and taking their time. It would be easy to rush him out, but there’s no reason to risk further injury. That goes double if they do plan on being in the playoff race.

While fans will have to continue to wait for the superstar, they did get some good recent injury news as well. As we covered previously at Ballislifebets, the breakout star Norman Powell made his triumphant return against the Nuggets on Sunday night after missing six games with a left hamstring issue.

The strong guard has been the team leader in scoring so far this year, and he continued that trend by putting up 28 points in a much-needed 126-122 victory over Denver.

That win showed Los Angeles might very well have some firepower of their own, and that they can play hard when needed. Leonard is still a must-have player, but Los Angeles isn’t completely helpless without him.