Fansided

Clippers resting Kawhi Leonard at incredibly inconvenient time for Lakers

By Steven Kubitza

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 06: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers walks the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 6, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 06: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers walks the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 6, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /
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The Clippers are resting Kawhi Leonard at a bad time for the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Clippers are taking on the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday afternoon in another essential must-win game for the Blazers. The team is currently one game behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth spot in the Western Conference.

Sitting alone in ninth place does mean the Blazers qualify for the play-in tournament. However, getting into eighth means they would only have to win one of two games in that tournament to advance. The ninth-place team has to win twice.

Portland is much better than their record now that Jusuf Nurkic is back and they would be a tough matchup for the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers. That is why Lakers fans may be enraged with the news that Kawhi Leonard will be sitting out Saturday.

Clippers giving their star his normal rest

Is this true sabotage? Not quite. Leonard is getting his normally scheduled rest, even in the Orlando bubble.

This does not mean the Clippers are doomed. Paul George is still a star and the team is not completely dependent on Leonard. However, his absence is a boost to a Blazers team that has won two straight over tough opponents. Most recently, Damian Lillard went off for 45 points against the Denver Nuggets.

A win would put Portland just one-half game behind the struggling Memphis Grizzlies for that eighth spot in the conference. It would be hard to imagine the Blazers losing twice to the Grizzlies if they could gain that higher seeding.

The Lakers are the top seed in the West and will have to take down the best in the conference to advance to the NBA Finals. They just may have not expected to have a first-round matchup against a team that was in the Western Conference Finals without Nurkic last year.

dark. Next. Damian Lillard drops 45 to move Blazers closer to 8-seed

Fans mad at the Clippers must also remember the goal is to win a title. The Toronto Raptors gave Leonard plenty of rest last season and it resulted in winning it all. The Clippers are just looking to copy that formula.

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