Inconsistency had seemingly been a constant this season for the Los Angeles Clippers, as they have played through multiple peaks and valleys all year long.
But they ended the season with a three-game winning streak, which was just enough for them to finish with a 44-38 record and the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
Kawhi Leonard played very well during those three contests, and it earned him the Western Conference Player of the Week award to close out the regular season.
NBA Players of the Week for Week 25.
West: Kawhi Leonard (@LAClippers)
East: Bobby Portis (@Bucks) pic.twitter.com/ggoX2HVTi6— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2023
Leonard had missed all of last season after suffering an ACL injury during the 2021 NBA playoffs, and some wondered if the creaky forward would return to his usual level of play.
Early in the season, he looked sluggish, like an old car that hadn’t been started in a long time, but after a few weeks, he started to look like his old self.
After the calendar turned over to 2023, the veteran put up 26.7 points a game while shooting 52.4 percent overall and 46.3 percent from 3-point range.
However, winning just 44 games seems like a big disappointment for the Clippers, especially after they were considered the overwhelming favorites to capture the NBA championship when the season began.
Their playoff journey will begin with perhaps the toughest matchup possible: a date with Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in the first round, which means there is very possibility the Clippers will bow out early in the postseason.
However, many still feel they’re a dangerous team that can go all the way if they keep their act together in the coming weeks.
NEXT:
Kendrick Perkins Makes A Bold Prediction About The Clippers
