The Los Angeles Clippers made the postseason on the back of an impressive 2022-23 regular season campaign, only to be eliminated 4-1 by the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
And their woes were familiar. The Clippers were without Paul George when they made the playoffs and later lost Kawhi Leonard to a knee injury, effectively quashing their championship aspirations.
The injury issues were a decisive factor in the Clippers’ playoff journey in the last ten years. The unit made the postseason for four seasons in a row and missed Kawhi in three of them. To give a fair idea of how injuries have marred their title hopes, here’s a timeline of their playoff journey:
2014 NBA Playoffs
The LA Clippers locked horns with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2014 NBA playoffs. The former made the Western Conference semifinals only to be downed 4-2 after winning the first and the fourth games. While the unit was healthy, there was no match for the likes of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who spearheaded the Thunder win.
2015 NBA Playoffs
The following season, the Clippers were again in the playoffs after a healthy 56-26 record in the regular season. They were impressive in the first round, surpassing the San Antonio Spurs 4-3, but lost by the same margin to the Houston Rockets.
Chris Paul was a notable absentee missing the first two games against the Rockets due to a hamstring injury. While he played all 82 regular season games 19.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, his injury had an impact as the Clippers again bowed out of the title race.
2016 NBA Playoffs
The Clippers finished the regular season with a 51–31 record finishing as the 4th seed. In the playoffs, they squared off against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, where they lost in seven games. They went down 4-2 with both Blake Griffin and Paul on the injured list.
The former suffered a quad injury after playing the first four games, while Paul broke his hand and was ruled out indefinitely.
2017 NBA Playoffs
The Clippers suffered a blow in the form of Griffin’s right toe injury that he suffered against the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2017 NBA playoffs. The big man sustained the injury during Game 3, effectively calling the curtains down as they lost 4-3.
2018 NBA Playoffs
The Clippers failed to make the playoffs after finishing tenth in the regular season with a 42-40 record.
2019 NBA Playoffs
The Clippers finished as the eighth seed to make the 2019 NBA playoffs, but the roster, despite being healthy, lacked the presence of big names. There were no All-stars in the mix, and their first-round matchup against the Golden State Warriors ended with a 4-2 defeat.
2020 NBA Playoffs
The 2020 NBA playoffs saw LA finish 49-23 in the regular season and win the first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. But they failed to get past the Denver Nuggets in the second round, despite being healthy.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were part of the Clippers’ rank, and while they were impressive in the regular stretch, they blew a 3-1 lead over the Nuggets, making it the second time that they lost the conference semifinals after their initial advantage.
2021 NBA Playoffs
The Western Conference semifinals began on a losing note for the Clippers as they trailed 0-2. Kawhi’s 34 and 31-point performances in Games 3 and 4 saw the team even the series. But the forward suffered a knee injury in Game 4 and was ruled out of the remainder of the series.
Despite the setback, the Clippers made the West finals but lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games, with Kawhi missing out on action.
2022 NBA Playoffs
The Clippers were without the services of both Kawhi and George. The former was inactive for the entire season with an ACL injury, while George tested positive for COVID-19 and missed out on the play-in games. They lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans, failing to make the postseason.
2023 NBA Playoffs
Paul George’s knee injury during the final stretch of the regular season saw him rendered inactive for the first-round clash against the Phoenix Suns. While Kawhi Leonard played Games 1 and 2, he suffered a knee injury, which was later reported as a torn meniscus leading him to miss the next three games. The Suns locked up the series 4-1.
What’s Next For The LA Clippers?
The Clippers will have some thinking to do ahead of the upcoming season. Their present roster will cost the side $201 million, not factoring in the idea that Russell Westbrook or Mason Plumlee will re-sign with the side.
Kawhi and George’s health come in as major concerns. Despite their heavy paychecks for the next season, the duo’s continual tryst with injuries would mean Clippers will have to make a decision to not just keep them competitive but also the roster as financially viable. It’s going to be a despondent summer for the Clippers, for sure.
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