Getty Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are paying a price, following head coach Doc Rivers’ inconsistent statements relating to Kawhi Leonard’s load management, knee. The NBA fined the Los Angeles Clippers $50,000 on Thursday for comments made about Kawhi Leonard and his injury update. The following statement has been issued by the NBA regarding the LA Clippers and the playing status of forward Leonard:
“Following additional review of the LA Clippers not playing Kawhi Leonard in last night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA has confirmed that the team’s decision to sit Leonard for management of an injury was consistent with league rules. The team has reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee and has been placed by the team at this time on an injury protocol for back-to-back games.
“The NBA has fined the Clippers $50,000 for statements, including by head coach Doc Rivers, that were inconsistent with Leonard’s health status.”
Well, that escalated quickly:
Based on medical information provided by the Clippers the league deemed Leonard to be injured. In fact, the Clippers had put Leonard on resting protocol for back-to-back games after, according to the statement, the team “reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee.”
Rivers has stirred mixed signals around as he first noted that Leonard is dealing with a knee injury while also indicating that he “has never felt better.” Rivers then told reporters Wednesday that Leonard “feels great,” contradicting a league statement that supported the Clippers in their choice to sit an apparently healthy Leonard.
As Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports reports, Rivers’ statement arrived after NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier Wednesday that the league supported the Clippers’ choice to sit Leonard during nationally televised home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass on Kawhi Leonard: “Kawhi Leonard is not a healthy player under the league’s resting policy, and, as such, is listed as managing a knee injury in the LA Clippers injury report. The league office, in consultation with the NBA’s director of sports medicine..”
Load Management Debate
The word “load management” has taken on a new meaning as of lately. The matchup between the Bucks and the Clippers was the first meeting of the two on the season schedule this year. The two Finals contenders were set to have reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo facing off with last years Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard. When it was announced that Leonard would be sitting an uproar began as this was long after tickets for the game had sold out and ESPN had already scheduled the game to be nationally broadcasted.
Leonard missed 22 games last season with the Raptors, as he sat out in an effort to keep him healthy for the playoffs and the Clippers have followed suit. It is no surprise that the NBA is cracking down on the Clippers who also allowed Leonard to sit out for the first time this season when the Clippers faced the Utah Jazz. There is a clear trend of Leonard resting back-to-back games that dates far back as Leonard has not played in both ends of a back-to-back set since the final month of the 2016-17 season with the San Antonio Spurs.
Rivers Response to $50k Fine
Prior to the Thursday’s game Clippers vs. Trail Blazers game Doc Rivers declined to dive into conversation surrrounding the fine other than to crack a joke when asked about it.
Here’s Doc joking about loving to be fined by the NBA. #Clippers
It appears that the talk about Leonard being sat due to “load management” might have come to an end unless the Clippers are perfectly fine handing over money to the league every other week for resting the superstar. With that said the inconsistent comments made by Rivers is what untimely caused the NBA to levy the fine.
Leonard Disappointed About NBA’s Decision
Following the Clippers win over the Trail Blazers, Leonard shared his thoughts on the NBA fining the organization for Rivers’ statements regarding his health status.
Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints reports Leonard stated, “For me, I’m on his side. I’m a Clipper, he’s my coach. It’s just disappointing. It feels like they want players to play if they’re not ready.”
#Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard on the NBA detailing his knee injury- “It was shocking but it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not a guy that reads the media anyway. We’re gonna manage it the best way we can to keep me healthy & that’s the most important thing: me being healthy moving forward”
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