Doc Rivers: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George Will Be in 'Phenomenal Shape' Post-Hiatus

The Los Angeles Clippers have developed a reputation for utilizing load management during the regular season, but according to head coach Doc Rivers, All-Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are "overworking" during the NBA hiatus.

"I know Kawhi's overworking. I can guarantee you that," Rivers told reporters on a Wednesday video call. "And the difference is, during the summer, Kawhi couldn't work, you know, so now he's got this break and he's able to train. So the Kawhi we'll see will be in phenomenal shape. PG [Paul George] is another guy that's gonna be in phenomenal shape."

Leonard joined the Clippers in free agency last summer after leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title in franchise history, earning NBA Finals MVP honors. Paul was subsequently traded to L.A. from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 2019-20 season was suspended because of COVID-19. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert became the first player to test positive on March 11, leading to the NBA's announcement.

"I really thought we were about to make a crazy run down the stretch," Rivers said. "And unfortunately, bam, it stopped. ... I love where we were at. And seeing the way we play and how we were coming together, this team's good, I think we could beat anybody."

The Clippers had won seven of their last eight games before the season was put on hold—their lone loss coming when the crosstown Lakers beat them 112-103 on March 8. The 49-14 Lakers were the only Western Conference team to clinch a postseason berth with the 44-20 Clippers lingering in second place.

Rivers added:

"What I know for real was the last 10 games, we were turning into the Clippers. You could literally feel it ... We started understanding each other ... We were playing seamlessly through Kawhi and PG. It wasn't forced anymore. Guys weren't trying to stay out of each other's way. You could feel the rhythm. Even the Lakers loss [on March 8], where we, in my opinion, played horrendous in that game, and that was one of our step-back games ... we still had a chance, and it was our D-game, you know?"

The Clippers had previously defeated the Lakers twice this season, including a 112-102 win in the regular-season opener.

Leonard (26.9 points per game) and George (21 points per game) are the Clippers' top-two leading scorers, while Leonard also leads the team in rebounds (7.3 per game). That is while Leonard had played in 51 of L.A.'s 64 games, and George had played just 42.

The duo had only played four games together through the first month of the season:

However, fully healthy after February's All-Star break, the Clippers' 11.5 net rating across nine games was the league's best mark, according to CBS Sports' Colin Ward-Henninger. Overall, the Clippers own the league's fourth-best scoring offense behind the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.

The Clippers might not have the opportunity to take their momentum into the postseason, as ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported last weekend that conversations between the league and the players union are leaning toward setting up "a deal that enables them to shut the season down."

Regardless, Rivers' squad will be right back in title contention next season with George and Leonard both under contract through 2022.