The Philadelphia 76ers decided to draft Allen Iverson in 1996 NBA Draft with the 1st overall pick. Little did they know he would change the landscape of the franchise, leading them to their first Finals appearance since 1983. Iverson was a pure hooper who refused to miss any basketball action he could get. This however is not so common these days. The Los Angeles Clippers especially are facing the effects of this mentality.

The Clippers have not had the best of seasons since their “Lob City” era ended. Their efforts to win the championship have gone in vain despite their smart front office moves. Their biggest move came in 2019, when they acquired two perennial superstars to lead them to the coveted title. However, a championship run has still eluded them due to one major reason – injuries. With their superstar duo constantly missing games due to injury, the Clippers have not made the impact they were looking to. This was talked about by a former All-Star, also quoting Iverson as an example. 

Former All Star slams the Clippers’ superstar duo

The Los Angeles Clippers have not shied away from making bold decisions. From trading away their young prodigy, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander to acquiring players way past their prime like John Wall, the franchise has made every attempt possible to contend for a championship. However, nothing matched their move of acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back-to-back in 2019. 

The duo seemed highly promising, given their individual resumes. However, their injury-plagued stint with the franchise only led to more dismay. They missed several games in the regular season as well as the playoffs, leading to underwhelming seasons. This was slammed by the 3-time All-Star, Gilbert Arenas on his podcast, also bringing Allen Iverson into the conversation.

“I guarantee they respect Allen Iverson’s quote now. Y’all talking about practice, ay, they talking about the games now,” he joked.

However, he went on to berate the duo further, saying, “He talking about he missing practice but he’s playing his a** off. They missing games. To keep Iverson out of the game…had to lock the doors on him….They missing games and it’s cool now. And that’s the problem, like it’s cool to miss games.”

Read More: “Dumbest S**t I’ve Ever Heard”: LA Coach Slams Narratives Surrounding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George After Playoff Heartbreak

Arenas used a valid example of the former MVP to describe how players are okay with missing games these days. However, can this claim be justified?

The Clippers duo have not had it easy

The Clippers duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have heard their share of criticism over the years. After all, being the most promising duo in the NBA and not having a championship run to show for can put anyone in that spot. However, the $350M worth duo have not played enough games together to show what they could potentially do.

Leonard and George have both had to deal with major injuries in the past 4 years. While Leonard has dealt with a recurring knee injury, George has suffered multiple minor injuries throughout his stint with the Clippers. This has led to the superstar duo missing several games in the regular season. Their playoff runs too, have been without the services of either one of their superstar, leading to early exits.

Watch This Story: Is WWE Planning the “Biggest Letdown?” 

If the Clippers wish to make a deeper playoff run and hopefully storm into the Finals, their superstar duo will have to keep themselves healthy. Their recurring injuries will have to be minimised for the Clippers to stand a chance to make a championship push. Given the current situation in the Western Conference however, a championship run is not going to be easy.