“It was a roller coaster” - Lou Williams highlights Kawhi Leonard-Paul George related issue for Clippers’ past woes
Lou Williams, a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, got close to adding a championship to his 17-year resume in his final two seasons with the LA Clippers. But adding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George brought the franchise frustration on an equal scale with their potential.
"It was a roller coaster," Williams said on Fan Duel TV’s “Run It Back.” "He (Kawhi) would go out and PG would step in, and then PG would go out and Kawhi would step in. It was just hard to find that consistency that we needed because we were in a championship run. We felt like we had the group to do it."
Unfortunately for the Clippers, the two All-Stars' health has been a reoccurring issue. Despite boasting one of the league’s most talented rosters, injuries have limited the team's progress.
During the 2019-20 season, Leonard, fresh off winning the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors, missed 25 games while George missed 34, resulting in a rocky chemistry on the court. The Clippers went 49-23, finishing second in the Western Conference before falling to the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.
In 2020-21, the Clippers went 47-35 and reached the Western Conference finals, where they lost in six games to the Phoenix Suns. Leonard didn’t play in the WCF but played four games in the semifinals. During the regular season, Leonard played 52 games and George 54.
Lou Williams talks about the need for the Los Angeles Clippers to remain healthy
During the same segment, Lou Williams also pointed out the need for the Clippers to stay healthy this season.
"I think the only problem is the health thing," Williams said. "They gotta stay healthy. The two main guys gotta stay healthy. If they're able to get through this season and be intact, I think they give somebody a lot of trouble."
The challenge now remains if the two all-stars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, can get through this season unscathed enough to make a deep playoff push.
Looking at the team's roster, there's no denying that the team is loaded with quality players. From Russell Westbrook to Norman Powell, the team has enough pieces to complement Leonard and George on the court.
All that remains is for the chemistry and health management to pull through, and the Clippers might have a chance of going all the way.