Ranking 10 NBA stars returning from injury by playoff importance

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 14, 2021 in New York City. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 105-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 19: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers stands on the court during the third quarter of a NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on November 19, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

NBA star injury returns: No. 5 – Paul George

The odds of Kawhi Leonard returning this season are somewhere between “pigs flying” and “Nicolas Cage making a good movie again.” Paul George, his fellow All-Star wing, is much more likely to return from a right elbow injury.

The LA Clippers are well-coached and flush with the kind of wings you want when going to war in the NBA Playoffs. They have a couple of big centers in Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein to take on teams with big centers of their own – Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, DeAndre Ayton – but are comfortable downshifting to all-wing lineups as they did against the Utah Jazz last postseason, to great success.

Despite Leonard missing the entire season and George playing in just 26 games thus far, the Clippers are above water at 35-34 and in eighth place in the league. If George is able to make it back in the next couple of weeks, the Clippers would be favored against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in game, and then given a great chance against whichever 2-seed they play in the first round – especially if it’s the Utah Jazz.

Ty Lue has been able to get his team valuable reps all season without George and Leonard, and most expect next year for the Clippers to be among the West favorites. Could George and company start that train rolling out of its station early by returning and leading them to a surprise postseason push?