Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard said Wednesday that lack of attendance and enthusiasts had diminished the importance of the seedlings of the 2020 NBA playoffs within the bubble at the Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida.
Leonard and the Clippers earned a 124-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday to secure second place in the Western Conference, but the final’s protective MVP downplayed its importance.
“At the moment, the seeds don’t seem to matter,” he told reporters. “I mean, just like tonight, we play in Denver. We don’t travel there or cross that altitude they’re used to gambling at home. So are the fans. But those little things, you know, we just travel to this other city and looking to identify yourself and see what regime can do, it’s more the difficulties of ball games in the playoffs [than in the bubble].”
The Clippers hold the fourth-best home record in the NBA this season at 26-9, the Philadelphia 76ers (31-4), the Milwaukee Bucks (30-5) and the Miami Heat (29-7).
None of them will have merit on the field, with all the games played in Orlando.
Paul George, Leonard’s teammate in Los Angeles, said the stage is probably helping to decrease the seed, which sometimes wins at least one genuine game on the way forward, but does not harm the Clippers’ confidence.
“There are a lot of unknowns here,” he says. “But I’m confident. Our organization is confident. There’s nothing doubtful about it. It’s an equivalent playing field.”
The Clippers, who posted a 4-3 record in the bubble, are in a position to face Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and the Dallas Mavericks in the first round. It’s a game that shows the remarkable intensity of the West.
Leonard, George and Co. are the selection time for the punters (170), only los Angeles rival Lakers (140) to win the West, through Caesars Palace. They are also tied with the Bucks (both 300) in the NBA championship odds, with the Lakers leading the way.
However, it will be appealing to see if this year’s playoffs imply an increase in the number of meritless disorders in the field. This, combined with the four-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, created an exclusive set of cases for the playoffs.
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