The Clippers enter the final stretch of the season as the hottest team in the NBA, having won 20 of their past 27 games, a feat that caught many insiders by surprise. The team that started the season a woeful 6-21 is now 26-28 and sits a percentage point behind the Portland Trail Blazers for ninth p lace in the Western Conference. Things, however, have changed since the start of February. James Harden is gone, having been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, who is 10 years younger than the future Hall of Fame point guard. Then starting center and fan favorite Ivica Zubac was sent to the Indiana Pacers for forward Bennedict Mathurin and center Isaiah Jackson and future draft picks, leaving in their wake questions that the Clippers will be looking to answer in the final 28 games of the regular season. Can Kawhi Leonard remain healthy? With his team at 6-21, Leonard stepped up his game and alongside Harden and Zubac, helped pull the Clippers into postseason contention. But with the other two gone, can Leonard carry the load? Will his oft-injured knees survive? The answer is yes, so far. In the five games since the trade deadline, Leonard has continued his string of impressive performances, averaging 30.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists. And the star forward didn’t take it easy at the All-Star Game, scoring 37 points in three games, including 31 in the second, over 34 minutes. Leonard said he knows he will need to “do a lot more heavy lifting” for the Clippers to sustain their momentum. “We have to do the same thing we’ve been doing, just the effort, staying competitive, wanting to compete every night, pushing a pace rebounding,” Leonard said. “I think that’s what we’ve been doing our last few weeks and it’s been helping us out.” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said he isn’t concerned about Leonard, and they will not overtax the seven-time All-Star. “What great players are able to do is elevate their game to levels that mere mortals can’t,” Frank said. “So, look, we are always going to prioritize every player’s health. “We’re just super fortunate to have someone like Kawhi who can raise his level and sustain it for such long stretches to help us get through it.” How will two-time All-Star guard Darius Garland fit in? The 26-year-old guard is a solid addition for the Clippers, who acquired him in the trade that sent Harden to Cleveland. The young star is a proven ball handler, with a career 6.7 assists per game in his seven seasons with the Cavaliers. He also can score (18.8 ppg). He’s no Harden, but he is 10 years younger. But also injury-prone. Earlier this season, Garland had surgery on his left big toe and then sprained the right big toe, which continues to give him problems, delaying his Clippers’ debut. He has only played 26 games so far this season. Frank suggested that Garland, who has been sidelined since Jan. 26, could be ready to play after the All-Star break but didn’t offer any guarantees. “We’re going to manage this correctly. We’re not going to skip any steps,” Frank said. “We’re going to get it right and take as long as it takes.” Will the looming Aspiration investigation affect the team? The fallout from the Clippers’ deal with Aspiration, the environmental firm, hangs over the team as it tries to continue its turnaround. The NBA’s investigation is expected to conclude soon. Should the Clippers be found to have circumvented salary cap rules though Leonard’s no-show contract with Aspiration, the organization faces the potential loss of draft picks, fines and/or Leonard’s contract being voided. “We very much feel the same … that we’re on the right side of this,” Frank said. “And whenever they make the decision, they make the decision, but it really doesn’t impact anything we do on a daily basis.” Can the Clippers surpass the .500 mark? The Clippers have flirted with the .500 mark four times during their resurgence, pulling to within two games of leveling their record only to lose the following game. Leonard said the team needs to continue to fight to reach that mark and continue chasing a spot in the four-team Play-In Tournament, something he and the others believe can happen. “We have to do the same thing we’ve been doing, just put in the effort, staying competitive, wanting to compete every night, pushing a pace, rebounding,” Leonard said. “I think that’s what we’ve been doing our last few weeks, and it’s been helping us out.” Do the Clippers have the depth to win this season? With two veterans gone, Coach Tyronn Lue will be looking deeper down the bench for help, especially late in games. While Mathurin and Jackson are nice pickups, neither will fill the holes left by the departed Zubac and Harden. That’s where Jordan Miller, a third-year player, can play a bigger role. The Clippers are 9-3 when Miller, who is averaging a career-high 9.1 points, scores 10 or more, and the team has gone 21-12 since he was inserted into the rotation this season. He signed a new two-year contract on Wednesday. Rookies Kobe Sanders, a forward, and center Yanic Konan Niederhauser also have proven to be helpful role players this season, providing energy and fresh legs when needed that have helped the Clippers surge to the finish line. Related Articles Clippers working to integrate their trade deadline additions Good game, bad dunk contest: NBA All-Star Weekend’s highs and lows Alexander: NBA All-Star Weekend works – but the game itself, not so much Swanson: Thank you, Victor Wembanyama, for a fantastic All-Star Game NBA All-Star Game: Clippers star Kawhi Leonard dazzles on home court ...read more read less