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Postseason takes a turn as injuries continue to disturb playoffs

Three of four remaining teams have lost time with their team centerpiece.

NBA: All Star Game-Team Lebron at Team Giannis Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Clippers lost Kawhi Leonard.

During Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Trae Young hurt his right foot. Try as best he could, he was unable to suit up for Game 4.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hyper-extended his left knee during Game 4. His availability for Game 5 is unsure at the time of this writing.

But if we’ve learned anything from the playoffs this summer, a superstar is not always necessary to win.

Paul George and Reggie Jackson have shaped the Clippers’ non-Kawhi games with excellence. Contributions from Patrick Beverly, Marcus Morris, Sr. and DeMarcus Cousins extended their Finals ambitions and tonight they host the Suns in Los Angeles. Call me pessimistic, but the Suns inability to wrap it up in Phoenix may be the momentum shift the Clippers need to make a historic comeback.

Atlanta evened things up last night. No one had money on a Hawks team that left Trae Young on the bench. But Lou Williams’ first postseason start proved prophetic and the Hawks created a full team rally to send the series back to Milwaukee for a tie breaker instead of an elimination game.

These injuries have not set the results in stone and there is now enough unexpected contributions to push these Conference Finals the full seven games.

No one can say with any certainty what the outcome will be. But one thing is certain.


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