LA Clippers: Big expectations for Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, Norman Powell…

With the return of star forward Kawhi Leonard after a torn ACL sidelined him all of last season, the Los Angeles Clippers are in good form to be in serious contention for the NBA championship.

Leonard will be reunited with Paul George, who was also out of action for a large part of the previous season due to an injured elbow, and this powerful combination could send them to a deep playoff run providing that they stay healthy.

The two have not been on the court together for more than a year, but they have tried to maintain their connection by joining the Clippers on the road and studying the team’s performance.

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Barring more injuries and entry into covid-19 protocols, Leonard and George could finally unleash their full power both individually and as a duo.

Norman Powell’s potential contribution

The partnership of the two All-Star veterans understandably gets a lot of hype, but there is also the role of shooting guard Norman Powell after the Clippers acquired him at the 2021 trade deadline.

The 29-year-old got more playing time and was sometimes the main scoring choice with the absence of Leonard and George. The experience has seasoned him further, and he hopes this will help the franchise rev up its bid for the championship.

“I think it’s gonna take us to the next level,” Powell said. “PG and [Kawhi] make the game easier for everybody else with the attention that they draw… I think playing off of each other is gonna make the game easy for all of us.”

The Clippers now also have the talents of another multi-year All-Star, point guard John Wall. Although he did not play last year, he has the potential to assist Leonard and George in sinking shots in the face of fierce defense.