Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George is approaching the 2022-23 NBA season with a sense of purpose.

The seven-time All-Star told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, "I'm more focused than I've ever been" and that winning a championship is the clear goal.

Paul George is all the way locked in for this season 😤

"I am more focused than I've ever been. You talked about locked in, I am locked in to this year." - via @NotoriousOHM pic.twitter.com/UklwGNhNSt

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 5, 2022

To term it a failure would be harsh, but there's no question the Clippers have yet to reach the ambitions they laid out when they signed George and Kawhi Leonard. A trip to the 2021 Western Conference Finals is the deepest Los Angeles has gone in the postseason since the pair arrived.

The 2021-22 campaign was a mulligan for the organization, though. Leonard missed the entire year because of a partial ACL tear, and George was limited to 31 games in large part because of an elbow injury.

Now that both players are back healthy, anything short of a conference title will likely be a disappointment.

"Leonard and George together have proved to work, and this is the best group of quality role players around them since the star duo was assembled in 2019," Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz wrote of the Clippers in September. "Health is obviously an issue, but a full-strength Clippers squad could be the NBA's best team."

Oddsmakers agree. Los Angeles has the third-best title odds (+700; bet $100 to win $700) along with the Brooklyn Nets at FanDuel.

What the Clippers achieve or don't achieve will be a reflection of George as well. The 32-year-old's talent has never been in doubt, but he has yet to enjoy the kind of singular playoff run that defines stars of his caliber. He's perhaps one of the five or six best active players in the NBA still in search of a ring.

The pressure is squarely on George to deliver because there won't be any excuses if the Clippers once again don't hit their expectations.

Kawhi Leonard is back.

The Los Angeles Clippers star is slated to return from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season during Monday's preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters Friday.

Lue told reporters earlier this week that Leonard looked good during practice.

"He looked really good," he said. "Went through everything, both practices, so it was good to see."

Leonard has not played since June 14, 2021—a Game 4 win over the Utah Jazz in the second round of the NBA playoffs—after suffering a partially torn ACL and undergoing surgery to repair the ailment.

The 31-year-old said earlier this week that he feels "stronger" entering the 2022-23 campaign after spending much of the offseason in rehab and weight training:

“I feel stronger, yeah. I feel stronger for sure. It’s been, what, 14, 15 months of no basketball — well, playing in an NBA season for me, no basketball. That whole 13, 14-month process is just lifting, lifting weights and getting stronger. But I definitely got a lot stronger.”

Videos and photos of Leonard posted to social media show how much he has bulked up this offseason:

Kawhi doing Kawhi things. pic.twitter.com/qNALr9vAIJ

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) September 28, 2022

The two-time NBA champion will play a significant role for the Clippers in 2022-23 alongside Paul George.

In his first season with the franchise in 2019-20, he averaged 27.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 57 games while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from deep en route to an All-Star selection.

The Clippers reached the Western Conference semifinals that season but fell to the Denver Nuggets in seven games.

In his second season in L.A. in 2020-21, he averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 52 games while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from deep.

L.A. was eliminated from the playoffs in the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns.

Without Leonard in 2021-22, the Clippers finished eighth in the West with a 42-40 record and missed the postseason.

The combination of Leonard, George and John Wall should be enough to vault the Clippers back into the playoffs in 2022-23. However, only time will tell if the trio can win the franchise its first NBA title.

Jay Larranaga has reportedly decided to remain an assistant under Tyronn Lue with the Los Angeles Clippers rather than return to the Boston Celtics' coaching staff.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported Thursday the Celtics received permission to speak with Larranaga, who worked for the team from 2012 through 2021, after head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 NBA season. However, Larranaga "prefers to remain" in L.A. where he's a "valued member" of Lue's staff.

Larranaga, the son of longtime college basketball head coach Jim Larranaga, played 13 professional seasons as a guard, mostly overseas, before starting his coaching career in 2008.

The 47-year-old North Carolina native spent time as head coach of Ireland's national team and the G League's Erie BayHawks before joining the Celtics in 2012.

One of his main success stories in Boston was helping transform Jayson Tatum from a high-end prospect into one of the NBA's best all-around players.

Larranaga left the Celtics to join Lue's staff in L.A. last summer as the C's went through a coaching transition, which saw Brad Stevens leave the sideline to take over as the team's president of basketball operations followed by the hiring of Udoka.

He likely could have taken on a prominent role alongside interim head coach Joe Mazzulla in a return to Boston, but he will instead stick with the Clippers.

Larranaga, who's often mentioned as a potential NBA head coach, received praise from Stevens in 2018.

"He's great," Stevens said. "He's super smart. He works exceptionally hard. He always is looking proactively at projects. He's great with individuals and helping individuals get better. His player development stuff is off the charts."

If Udoka ultimately doesn't return to the Celtics—the team's statement said they'll decide his future "at a later date"—it wouldn't be a surprise if Larranaga ends up on the shortlist to become the C's next head coach.

For now, he'll continue to help the Clippers prepare for the new campaign, which opens Oct. 20 when they take on the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Kawhi Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn right ACL, but the Los Angeles Clippers superstar is feeling good heading into training camp.

"I feel stronger, for sure," he told reporters on Monday at the team's media day. "It's been, what, 14, 15 months of no basketball—well, playing in an NBA season for me, no basketball. That whole 13-, 14-month process is just lifting weights and getting stronger. I definitely got a lot stronger."

Leonard said he planned to participate in training camp starting on Tuesday:

Kawhi says he “definitely” feels stronger having worked last 13 months and getting stronger without playing. He says had the Clippers made it to the Finals last year, he would’ve been back on the floor. He says he feels good but has to see how his body responds. pic.twitter.com/l8AiFf7iwm

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) September 26, 2022

He also acknowledged that there was still some uncertainty about how he would feel once the actual basketball began in the regular season.

"Right now I feel good in my workouts, weightlifting," Leonard said. "I don't feel like I have a subconscious mind of not jumping off my leg per se. I feel good. We'll just see how the season goes. And can't really tell you how that's going to work out."

Leonard seemed thrilled for media day in general:

Kawhi: “Media Day, let’s get this over with” 🤣

(via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/P1kzBZnQot

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) September 26, 2022

Expectations were sky high for the Clippers after Leonard and Paul George joined forces ahead of the 2019-20 season. But a disappointing showing in the bubble that led to the end of Doc Rivers' time as head coach and a smattering of injuries for the star pair have resulted in a disappointing partnership to this point.

At his healthy best, the 31-year-old Leonard is one of the most dominant two-way wings in the NBA. The five-time All-Star, two-time champion and two-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Clippers in 52 games during the 2020-21 season, shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three.

If he and George can remain healthy, the Clippers are a legitimate title threat, with a loaded and veteran supporting cast behind them.

Los Angeles Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told reporters on Thursday that Paul George's right elbow is fully healed after he suffered a torn UCL last season.

"His elbow is 100 percent healthy," he said. "Paul has had an extremely purposeful, driven, and very productive off-season, in that his consistency of training has been off the charts. Plus, he continues to take more and more of an ownership and leadership role. You know, he had a lot to do with getting John Wall to come here."

That injury cost George around three months of the season, and the 32-year-old played in just 31 games total, averaging 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three.

The Clippers failed to advance to the postseason, falling in the play-in tournament. It was a season defined by injuries, as Kawhi Leonard lost the entire campaign due to a torn ACL.

But Leonard, like George, is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

"He feels great," Frank told reporters. "His plan is, look, he wants to participate in everything. And I think organizationally, we're going to be cautious. So it will be a step-by-step approach."

"He is cleared," he added. "For him, he'll say, 'Look, I want to do everything.' Again, we'll be very cautious in the approach."

They'll be joined by one of the deeper supporting casts in the NBA, with John Wall, Reggie Jackson, Ivica Zubac, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris Sr. and Terance Mann, among others, filling out the roster.

When George and Leonard first paired up ahead of the 2019-20 season, the belief was that the Clippers were one of the title favorites. Disappointing postseason collapses and injury issues, instead, have defined their partnership to this point.

Getting them healthy, with this supporting cast behind them, however, makes them one of the NBA's most intriguing and potentially dangerous teams.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been cleared for five-on-five activities, team president Lawrence Frank told reporters Thursday.

Frank said Leonard "feels great" as the team prepares to open training camp next week. The five-time All-Star missed the entire 2021-22 season amid recovery from a partial ACL tear.

With Paul George also missing 51 games to injury, the Clippers finished 42-40 and lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament. It was just the second time in the last decade the franchise missed the postseason.

Leonard was initially injured during the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz. While his status was initially shrouded in mystery, it was later revealed that Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL and would be out indefinitely. The 31-year-old then sat out all of last season to recover.

A Clippers team with a healthy Leonard and George is on the shortlist of possible NBA championship contenders. The Los Angeles natives came together in 2019 with the goal of bringing the Clippers their first NBA championship but have fallen short because of injuries.

This Clippers roster is once again laden with solid veteran depth at every position, and the team made the savvy move to buy low on John Wall in free agency in July. Wall's presence increases the star power in the locker room, but he has also been riddled with injuries in recent seasons.

There may be no higher-variance roster in all of basketball this season. A healthy Clippers team is a championship threat. A couple of injuries to key players, though, and they could be right back in the play-in.

Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall detailed his experience suffering from suicidal thoughts in an essay for The Players' Tribune published Thursday:

One night, after all my homies had left and it was just me sitting there all alone with my thoughts running wild, I got about as close as you can get to making an unfortunate decision and leaving this earth. Only by the grace of God, and the love of my sons, am I still here to tell my story.

Wall explained his low point came after his mother died in 2019.

The five-time NBA All-Star said he was riding high in 2017 as a superstar on the court while earning a contract extension with the Washington Wizards, but his life changed significantly over the next few years.

"I tore my Achilles and lost the only sanctuary I've ever known—the game of basketball," Wall said. "I ended up with such a bad infection from the surgeries that I nearly had to have my foot amputated. A year later, I lost my best friend in the whole world, my mom, to breast cancer."

Wall detailed those struggles with Donal Ware of Box to Row Radio in August, calling it the "darkest place" he's ever been in:

Wow. Really honest stuff from John Wall. John has been through so much in his life. Glad to hear he’s doing better. https://t.co/LIFo5dLugn

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) August 29, 2022

The 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick spent his first nine seasons with the Wizards, but injuries have derailed his career and he has played just 72 games over the last four years. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2020 before sitting out all last season.

It led to unrest in his personal life, which was only exacerbated by losing his mother. Wall's father also died when he was just nine years old.

"Money and fame don’t mean s--t if you don't have peace in your life," he said.

Wall was finally able to get himself back on track mentally after telling someone in his inner circle that he needed help. He saw a therapist, which he believes helped slowly turn things around.

The 32-year-old is set to return to the court this season after signing a deal with the Clippers.

"I've been through some of the darkest times you can imagine … and yo…. I'm still here."

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If you or someone you know is in immediate crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 for 24/7 access to a trained counselor. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "HOME" to 741741. For more information about ongoing support and mental health resources, contact the HelpLine at the National Alliance on Mental Illness by calling 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or emailing info@nami.org.

Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall spoke about the difficulties he has faced in his personal and professional life during the past few years and said he had suicidal thoughts.

In an interview earlier in August with Donal Ware of Box to Row Radio after Wall's foundation made a donation to the Salvation Army in honor of his mother, he discussed his well-being when asked how things have been for him of late:

Wow. Really honest stuff from John Wall. John has been through so much in his life. Glad to hear he’s doing better. https://t.co/LIFo5dLugn

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) August 29, 2022

"Darkest place I've ever been in," Wall said. "At one point in time I thought about committing suicide. Tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing and my grandma passing a year later. All this in the midst of COVID at the same time. Me going to the chemotherapy and sitting there. Me seeing my mom take her last breath. Wearing the same clothes for three days straight and laying on the couch sobbing."

Wall said both his support system and therapy were integral in helping him with his mental health.

His mother, Frances Pulley, died of cancer in 2019 at 58 years old.

"She raised him for much of his life as a single mom and through the winding road of his upbringing became his closest confidant, his best friend and the most important influence in his life," NBC Sports Washington wrote.

In terms of basketball, it has been some time since Wall demonstrated the form that earned him five All-Star selections and a spot on the 2016-17 All-NBA Third Team.

That 2016-17 campaign was the last time he appeared in more than 41 games. He sat out two of the last three seasons as he first dealt with a ruptured Achilles and then didn't play at all in 2021-22 as a member of the Houston Rockets.

He agreed to a two-year deal with the Clippers this offseason after reaching a buyout agreement with the Rockets and will look to bring a championship to Los Angeles alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

While it is not realistic to expect the 31-year-old to play at the level he did in his prime for the Washington Wizards, he can take advantage of the spacing created by the attention Leonard and George will draw.

He also believes the past few years have helped prepare him for any challenges he may face on the court.

"Looking at all that, I'm like, 'If I can get through this, I can get through anything in life,'" he said.

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If you or someone you know is in immediate crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 for 24/7 access to a trained counselor. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "HOME" to 741741. For more information about ongoing support and mental health resources, contact the HelpLine at the National Alliance on Mental Illness by calling 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or emailing info@nami.org.

In the summer of 2019, Kawhi Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers and the team traded for Paul George to pair with him.

It was a huge summer for a franchise that has largely lived in the shadow of the Lakers for the entirety of its existence, and the Clippers looked like true title contenders.

But the duo of Kawhi and PG-13 has yet to live up to those huge expectations, as a series of injuries and postseason disappointments have kept the team from reaching an NBA Finals.

After a solid offseason, the hope is that perhaps the 2022-23 campaign is finally when all of that great potential is realized.

The Clippers have re-signed Robert Covington, Amir Coffey, Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum, and they added John Wall in free agency. Leonard—who missed the entirety of last season with a torn ACL—and George (who only played 31 games last season) head into this campaign healthy and will be hungry to prove they can win a championship together.

Below, we'll take a look at the schedule they'll face as they look to do just that.

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2022-23 Clippers Schedule Details

Season Opener: At Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: 7-1 (via FanDuel)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

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Top Matchups

Los Angeles Lakers (First Game: Oct. 20)

Well, duh.

Lakers fans have been fond of dunking on the Clippers in recent years, given that the Leonard and George duo hasn't gotten a ring together and LeBron James and Anthony Davis did. And fair enough.

But, at least on paper, the Clippers are the stronger team heading into this season. It remains a major question mark if Russell Westbrook can find a way to make a positive impact for the Lakers after a disastrous 2021-22 campaign. They also don't have the quality depth that the Clippers possess. And James and AD have been nearly as injury-prone as Kawhi and PG-13.

There are plenty of storylines to consider in the battle for the City of Angels. With this many superstars on the court, the matchups should be a lot of fun, at the least.

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Golden State Warriors (First Game: Nov. 23)

The Golden State Warriors will be the measuring stick for every contender this season after winning last year's title. The Clippers won't be the exception.

If they are going to win a title, there's a good chance they'll have to go through the Dubs at some point. That should make the regular-season matchups all the more intriguing as a potential conference finals preview.

There are plenty of talented teams in the West. The Phoenix Suns will largely return their core group from last year. The Denver Nuggets are getting a healthy Jamal Murray. The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the league's most exciting young teams. The Minnesota Timberwolves paid a small fortune to land Rudy Gobert. Luka Doncic has given the Clippers fits in the past. The Lakers remain a potential threat.

But all roads go through Golden State. Stephen Curry and the defending champs are the litmus test for teams like the Clippers as they gear up for a potential title run.

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Season Forecast

The Clippers are deep, talented and have a roster that makes far more sense together than the mismatched group their L.A. neighbors have assembled. If they can stay healthy, this team should be a threat.

A lot will come down to the level that Wall is able to play at this season.

Since the start of the 2017-18 season, injuries and a mutual parting of ways with the rebuilding Houston Rockets—he didn't appear in a single contest last season—have limited him to 113 games.

The five-time All-Star was one of the more dynamic players in his prime, and at 31 years of age, he still should have more in the tank.

But can Wall stay healthy over the course of a full season and playoff run? After basically taking a year away from basketball last season, how long will it take to scrape the rust away? Does he still have the ability to impact a game at an elite level as he did in his earlier playing days?

One thing Leonard and George have never really had with the Clippers is a top-tier point guard. If Wall can even come close to being that player again—and if the Clippers can stay healthy—this team will be a major threat.

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Record Prediction: 52-30

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The first Los Angeles Lakers vs. L.A. Clippers matchup of the 2022-23 season will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic:

The first Lakers-Clippers game of the 2022-23 NBA season is scheduled for Oct. 20 at https://t.co/lur8Hbuv0r Arena, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

LeBron James-Anthony Davis vs. Kawhi Leonard-Paul George again for first time since Dec. 22, 2020.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

Both teams are attempting to make the playoffs after missing out last year. The 33-49 Lakers finished 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the final play-in tournament berth. The 42-40 Clippers lost twice in the play-in tournament and did not qualify for the postseason.

Both teams figure to have more optimistic outlooks in 2022-23, though.

The Lakers were snakebit with injuries and an inconsistent rotation. LeBron James (26 games) and Anthony Davis (42 games) both missed significant time.

Twenty-five players ultimately suited up for the Lakers last year, and it became impossible for the team to form any sort of chemistry. Better health and a more stable rotation should certainly help the Lakers enjoy more success under first-year head coach Darvin Ham.

For the Clips, a partially torn ACL kept Kawhi Leonard out for the entire season, and Paul George was out for 51 games mainly because of a torn UCL in his right elbow. Having both of those players back and good to go should be a massive boost to this team's playoff chances.

Ultimately, the Lakers vs. Clippers matchups should be must-see television this year. The first one of the year isn't the only game to be leaked thus far prior to the NBA schedule being officially released.

Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein reported that the Memphis Grizzlies will visit the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. In addition, Stein noted that the Lakers will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas as well.

The season will begin on Oct. 18. Per Charania, the Lakers will be visiting the Warriors, who will have an opening-night ring ceremony.