Power Puff Kawhi is out again - Load Management Folks, Folk You!

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

This is some serious BS....I'm on the road for work, and was very much looking forward to this game.

Plus, this is the West. Seeding matters, they shouldnt be throwing away games. Such a bitch move

[NY 567]

These guys are playing chess. The Clippers and Kawhi are trying to win a championship, they don't give a **** what ESPN, Adam Silver, or the TV viewing audience thinks about him sitting out.

[Official]

Kawhi sitting out games has nothing to do with Championship aspirations for the Raptors last year or the Clippers now. It is just him being a bitch

[ATLTimekeeper]

ESPN’s Doris Burke made some interesting remarks about the Clippers’ decision to rest Kawhi Leonard and I completely agree. What a joke this “load management” has become especially so early in the season.

“It is mind-boggling to me that Kawhi Leonard doesn’t want to play against the reigning MVP and he’d rather play against Portland tomorrow night on TNT,” Doris Burke said on Wedneday morning’s episode of Golic and Wingo. “Kawhi not playing is ridiculous at this point.”

Doris is sensationalizing this. Kawhi doesn't care about the regular season at all.

[TheGOATWill]

The clips approach is interesting sitting him on the first leg of the b2b. Arguably the tougher matchup of the two. Another one coming up next week at Houston, at New Orleans.

[Jamaaliver]

I believe it's pronounced 'Powder Puff'.

Also...

[greekbuck34]

Kawhi was/is lucky enough to play in great teams throughout his career so he never had to carry a team in the regular season.

He had a hall of fame trio and the GOAT coach in San Antonio who were unable to miss the Playoffs for a decade.
The Raptors were a top 3 conference team for 3 years without him and they had no problems winning games with him resting.
The Clippers reached the playoffs in the west without a star last season and PG will also come back later to help them even farther.

It's kind of cheating but the league can't do anything about it because it's too rare for a Superstar these days to have such a good roster around him especially in the West.

[JeepCSC]

This is taking his moniker of “silent superstar” a bit too far. “Absent superstar” doesn’t have the same ring.

[Benedict_Boozer]

These guys are playing chess. The Clippers and Kawhi are trying to win a championship, they don't give a **** what ESPN, Adam Silver, or the TV viewing audience thinks about him sitting out.

They should. Because if the regular season doesn't matter, than what are we all doing here? Why are we buying tickets to regular season games and paying for NBA league pass to see regular season games if no one gives a sh*t and the games don't matter?

[Jabroni Lames]

You can't help but feel like karma is going to catch up to Kawhi and the Clippers at some point.

[Johnny Bball]

I mean, let's be honest, not one of the people complaining here is one of the hypothetical "what if a kid bought a ticket and he just crushed his dreams". It's just people upset that Kawhi didn't choose their team in free agency, or that he's ranked over their favorite player, and just use any chance they get to whine about him. Just call a spade a spade man.

If he's going to miss games, then at least do it for the home games. Fans have a hell of a lot more opportunities to see him play compared to an East team that they'll only play once on the road.

It doesn't matter if it's a kid or an adult, they're still getting shafted when Kawhi sits out.

He is sitting out a home game tho? All the madness in this thread and people can't even back up their own statements.

From the guy that claimed people were lying about Kawhi and Doc saying theywouldn't load manage him and the goal was to play all 82... this is comically hypocritical.

[Jabroni Lames]

The clips approach is interesting sitting him on the first leg of the b2b. Arguably the tougher matchup of the two. Another one coming up next week at Houston, at New Orleans.

Maybe the idea is the punt the tougher matchup to make sure you grab the easy win vs. the lesser opponent. That would be anti-competitive, but it is what it is.

[Infinite Llamas]

All this whining and all I see is a guy poised to get his third ring come June.

[TheDoors24]

It sucks that the best players are sitting out. I understand why people are upset, but I also understand why players sit out. Instead of calling the players babies or being high and mighty with the load management takes, we should look at the real problem.

The regular season doesn’t matter.

7 games in and he already taking 2 games off for load management. lol. its the start of the season! How ridiculous.

[levon]

These guys are playing chess. The Clippers and Kawhi are trying to win a championship, they don't give a **** what ESPN, Adam Silver, or the TV viewing audience thinks about him sitting out.

Yeah, who cares about event broadcasting, the commissioner of the league, and the fanbase of the game when you can get a piece of metal in said game?

[Nutty Nats Fan]

You can't help but feel like karma is going to catch up to Kawhi and the Clippers at some point.

Karma for what? There is nothing wrong with players resting and making sure they are ready for the playoffs. You could instead call this Karma for the way the NBA schedules games, if you need to invoke karma.

[Clemenza]

I'm not going to lie, this is wack asf.. Yes we need him healthy and ready to go come playoff time but you can't cheat the fans out of a Giannis vs Kawhi national tv game. This hurts our brand imo. Just sit out tomorrow's game against Portland

[Forte IV]

If he's going to miss games, then at least do it for the home games. Fans have a hell of a lot more opportunities to see him play compared to an East team that they'll only play once on the road.

It doesn't matter if it's a kid or an adult, they're still getting shafted when Kawhi sits out.

He is sitting out a home game tho? All the madness in this thread and people can't even back up their own statements.

From the guy that claimed people were lying about Kawhi and Doc saying theywouldn't load manage him and the goal was to play all 82... this is comically hypocritical.

Coming from the guy who instead of quoting the post in which I proved your take was wrong, you quoted an different post to once again fit your narrative? That's whats comical. They never once said they wouldn't load manage. I said that in my post to you. But you ignored it. They just said it wouldn't be as severe. But oh, please keep stating your narrative as fact without proper evidence.

[Jabroni Lames]

I keep reading this justification repeatedly, and if this is the best defense for resting healthy, marquee players in their prime.... the NBA has big problem on their hands.

[dacrusha]

All this whining and all I see is a guy poised to get his third ring come June.

Yup, people crying over missing a completely meaningless RS season game against a team that he already shamed in the playoffs last year.

Loved how the Raptors didn't give a damn last year, as it brought them a championship. Impressed that the Clips also don't give a damn about the school kids, housewives and twitter clowns who are most vocally opposed to Kawhi's health regimen.