The Clippers, after defeating the strong team Grizzlies, will return home to face the Warriors. Today, the Warriors have updated their player injury list, which is similar to what Kerr previously revealed about resting Curry for one game in a back-to-back situation. The Warriors have indeed chosen to rest Curry against the Clippers, citing knee tendonitis as the reason. In addition, Draymond Green is also questionable due to a back injury and is unlikely to play. As we analyzed, it seems that the Warriors will definitely rest Curry when facing the Clippers.
Next up is another back-to-back, with the Warriors playing the Clippers away and then rushing back home to play the Suns. Which game should Curry rest for between the Clippers and the Suns? I think it would be the Clippers. The Clippers have been on fire recently, with Harden leading the team and turning Powell and Zubac into giants. The team's defense is also very strong with Van Gundy at the helm, and they have already double-killed the Warriors, winning with or without Curry.
Considering that playing the Clippers is an away game, it would be difficult for Curry to win even if he played. It would be better to fully prepare for the Suns, especially since it's at the Warriors' home court. The Suns have not been in good form recently, with Booker continuing to rest. From the Warriors' perspective, the Suns are an easy target to handle. Of course, the Clippers also have their fair share of injuries. The official injury list for the game against the Warriors includes Leonard, Mann, Kobe Brown, Christie, and Tucker, all of whom will miss the game.
Mann's injury is not expected to recover quickly, and Tucker has not reported to the Clippers for some time. Kobe Brown and Christie are also dealing with injuries, and Leonard had previously announced a delay in his season debut. However, Tyronn Lue mentioned today that it's not just a delay of one game, but several. This is because the Clippers' schedule involves playing the Warriors at home, followed by three consecutive away games against the Pelicans, Spurs, and Thunder. Tyronn Lue indicated that the Clippers will not allow Leonard to travel with the team for these away games.
In other words, Leonard will not play in the next four games, and the plan for a December comeback has been aborted. It's uncertain when his season debut will be, but it's likely to be at home rather than away. The Clippers seem to be quite cautious, but there is also good news. Tyronn Lue revealed that Leonard successfully participated in a 5v5 scrimmage today, indicating that he is close to being ready to return. Tyronn Lue believes that Leonard needs to participate in more 5v5 scrimmages before he can return.
During the upcoming three-game road trip, Leonard will stay with the team and train with the San Diego Clippers of the Development League. Ultimately, it still boils down to the fact that Harden will have to carry the load again. Originally, it was thought that Leonard would likely make his debut against the Warriors, but now the postponement is for four games. Perhaps the Clippers trust Harden, as he hasn't complained about anything. He may be a bit disappointed with Leonard's repeated delays in returning, but he still has hope until Leonard does come back. In terms of rankings, both the Clippers and Lakers have a record of 17 wins and 13 losses, with one in seventh place in the West and the other in sixth. The Nuggets are fifth with 16 wins and 12 losses, while the Suns are eighth with 15 wins and 14 losses.
The Clippers don't have much room for error, as they could easily drop to eighth place if they're not careful. Facing a weakened Warriors lineup, the Clippers have a high chance of winning, and they should easily defeat the struggling Pelicans. However, it's hard to say how they'll fare against the Spurs, depending on the form of Wenyamana, who has been quite strong recently. The final game against the Thunder could be strategically abandoned, as the Clippers are unlikely to win. If the Clippers can successfully defeat the Warriors, the Pelicans, and the Spurs, they could choose to rest Harden for the game against the Thunder. In that case, the home game against the Hawks on January 5th should be the most likely game for Leonard's recent debut.