3 adjustments the Clippers need to make without Kawhi Leonard

1. Luke Kennard will be expected to step in a bigger role for the remainder of the series

As mentioned before, while George will need to step into a superstar role for the remainder of this series, the responsibilities shouldn’t fall entirely on him. The Clippers will need their role players to step up in an all-hands-on-deck approach.

One of the key players to keep an eye on will be Luke Kennard. He’s got an ability to light things up in a hurry, and now with Leonard out, the Clippers will need to take advantage of Kennard’s playmaking and scoring abilities through the pick and roll.

In Game 1 of this series, Kennard poured in 18 points on 7-of-9 shots from the field and 4-for-6 from 3-point range. In the three games since then, Kennard has averaged 5.7 points on just over three shots per game. He’ll get his opportunities in a bigger role, now it’s a matter of executing.

It’s a tough task for the 24-year-old, but an excellent time to see how much he can deliver in the clutch.

Some other key players that will get more chances will be Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris. Both players have been catalysts for the Clippers’ offensive success at times in this series and throughout the season.

The success of the role players will also come down to how they are used by head coach Ty Lue. If the Clippers can pull off a series win while missing their best player, I think Lue deserves a lot of credit for pulling the right strings to make it happen.