Clippers, Leonard like to keep fans guessing about status

Leonard's absence looms large in determining the team's fate in the postseason

LOS ANGELES >> I feel bad for Clippers fans.

No, not because they’re Clippers fans. Stop that, Lakers Nation.

These good people —

I just wrote about how much I admire this contrarian crew, self-deprecating realists who never give up hope and who, best of all, come through for each other in the clutch in real ways — could very well see their team win the whole shebang this season.

Long suffering and loyal as they are, they’d deserve it.

But I feel for ’em because they’re so often cast as unwitting participants in the Clippers’ cat-and-mouse gamesmanship, the team’s often opaque and mysterious way of reporting injuries, especially when it comes to their biggest star, Kawhi Leonard.

The two-time NBA Finals MVP has suffered critical injuries in recent playoffs and has, after playing 68 games this season, missed the past six under the vague distinction of right knee “soreness” and “inflammation.”

Putting up with uncertainty could be fans’ contribution, I suppose, to keeping opponents honest. A personal sacrifice made for the Clippers’ pursuit of that so-far-elusive first championship — a prize that, by the way, Bones Hyland said he can envision.

Fresh off of leading the Clippers’ skeleton crew with a career-high 37 points in Wednesday’s freewheeling 124-108 loss to the fully staffed Phoenix Suns, the reserve guard said it: “Knowing the talent that we have, health will play a big part in that, but I feel like we have every piece, from the top guy to the bottom guy, one through 15, if we stay together and play Clippers’ basketball ... through this whole run, we’ll be good.”

Catch that? Health will play a big part.

That’s either the most obvious and benign statement in the history of postgame pressers — or a hint, the quiet part out loud!

And let me be clear, I have no indication that it’s anything but the former. The vibes seem swell around the team, no one seems stressed about a bout of reported inflammation. Signs point to a franchise gearing up for Kawhi vs. Luka, Part 3, when the Clippers (51-29) and Dallas Mavericks (50-30) meet again in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Sounds fun; let’s go!

It’s just what paying close attention to the Clippers for a

JACOB KUPFERMAN – GETTY IMAGES Kawhi Leonard has missed the Clippers’ last six games with soreness in his right knee, leaving some long-suffering fans a little nervous.