Currently holding the 8th seed in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers have found new life with the return of Paul George and Norman Powell. As the deepest and most complete two-way team in the league, the Clippers are not to be taken lightly during the 2022 NBA playoffs. Now with the strong possibility of Kawhi Leonard returning in time for the postseason, the Clippers will be back at full strength and ready to take the league by storm.

This would be huge for the Clips seeing as Leonard has missed all of the regular season recovering from surgery on a partially torn ACL he suffered in the 2021 Western Conference semifinals. With all this in the fold for LA, let's discuss three reasons the Clippers are title favorites if The Klaw returns in time for the playoffs.

1. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the league's most dynamic superstar duo  

At full strength, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are an unstoppable superstar tandem that can take the game over on both ends of the court. Their well-rounded offensive games and lockdown defense are what heavily contribute to this. Clutch playmaking and dominant two-way play is the reason Kawhi chose PG13 as his running mate.

Now that both players could be back healthy in time for the playoffs, the Clippers winning their first NBA championship could become a reality. Leonard and George are a pair of versatile defenders with limitless scoring range, and with the levelest playing field in recent memory, The Klaw and PG could lead LA to the promised land.

2. It gives the Clippers the deepest roster in the NBA 

With a new and improved roster around Leonard and George, LA is positioned to be the greatest Western Conference wild card of all time. There's no denying that the additions of Norman Powell and Robert Covington have taken this team to new heights. Add to that the continued growth and development of Terrence Mann, Amir Coffey, and Brandon Boston Jr. who have all been huge for them.

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Plus the clutch playmaking of Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Morris paired with the high-powered big man duo of Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein has also been vital to their success. Now that Powell and George are back in the lineup, the return of Leonard would definitely put this deep and talented squad over the top.

3. Tyronn Lue can run his system to perfection with Kawhi back at full strength 

Under Tyronn Lue, the Clippers have undergone a drastic culture change and responded to it well. Now that there's a strong chance Kawhi could be back in their rotation for the playoffs, Lue's vision for LA's ideal style of play will be run to perfection. A constant flow of inside-out ball movement meshed with the triangle offense has been a highly effective approach for the Clippers. With Leonard back in the fold, their offense will flow seamlessly and be a result of their smothering defense.

Throughout the season, Jackson, Morris, Mann, and Kennard have hit big shots and made key defensive stops to help them close out games. The return of Kawhi will allow them to achieve this on a consistent basis. After all, The Klaw is widely considered the most complete two-way player in the game when fully healthy. So if he returns in time for the postseason, the rest of the league better watch out.