Suns, Clippers deal with undetermined status of their stars
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers are still playing basketball deep into these NBA playoffs partly because they’ve learned to persevere in clutch moments without their biggest stars.
That ability could be put to the test again for both teams in the Western Conference finals.
The Suns and Clippers meet in Game 1 today in Phoenix with the status of some of their most important pieces in doubt. Suns point guard Chris Paul remains in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocol while Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of the final two games of against Utah.
It’s not an ideal situation for either team. It’s also not the time to complain about it.
“You’ve just got to have a mentality of next man up,” Suns forward Jae Crowder said. “We have enough in our locker room, we feel, to get the job done.”
The Suns released a short update Saturday that Paul is still in the league’s health and safety protocol after initially being placed on the list Wednesday. Suns coach Monty Williams said Paul’s situation was “day-to-day” and didn’t elaborate on his Game 1 status.
The 36-year-old point guard has been vaccinated against COVID-19, said a person with knowledge of the situation, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns. That may mean that Paul could be cleared to return more quickly than some who tested positive earlier this season before vaccines were readily available.
Leonard sprained his right knee during Monday night’s Game 4 win of the Jazz. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, but the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. He missed the final two games of the team’s series win over the Jazz, including Friday night’s Game 6.
The Clippers are 13-9 without their All-Star forward this season, including 2-0 in the playoffs. Leonard — a twotime NBA Finals MVP — is averaging 30.4 points on 57% shooting in the playoffs.
“Our team, I just tell you, they just don’t quit,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said said after Friday’s win. “They keep fighting and competing and I think our fans see that this year. We never gave in, never pointed a finger. Never pointed the blame on someone else. We looked in the mirror and we owned it and moved on.”
SORE KNEE THREATENS BOGDANOVIC’S STATUS FOR
HAWKS IN GAME 7 >> The Atlanta Hawks may be without their top 3-point shooter with their season on the line.
Bogdan Bogdanovic’s status is uncertain for tonight’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series at Philadelphia due to a knee injury.
Bogdanovic left Friday night’s 104-99 home loss to the 76ers in the fourth quarter with right knee soreness and did not return.
Coach Nate McMillan said Saturday the soreness is not related to the fracture in the same knee which forced Bogdanovic to miss 25 games early in the season.