data-mm-id=”_kn437rrwo”>The Los Angeles Clippers bowed out of the playoffs early (yet again) on Tuesday night and did so (yet again) without their two highest-paid players. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard both missed the team's season-ending, 136-130, loss to the Phoenix Suns in what has long been a familiar problem for this L.A. squad. Despite their meticulous dedication to load management during the regular season George still got hurt before the playoffs started and Leonard ended up missing the final two games of the series because he tore the meniscus in his right knee. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Leonard averaged 35 points in first two games of this postseason vs. Suns before the meniscus injury was revealed and he was shut down by medical staff.— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2023It has become a yearly exercise. The Clippers have good enough depth and smart enough coaching to qualify for the playoffs, where make things interesting, but their stars are just never healthy at the same time. George and Leonard have not played in the postseason together since 2021. This is no superteam; it is the idea of a superteam that we will never see come to fruition at this rate. Stephen A. Smith touched upon that issue during Wednesday's First Take and banged the drum for Leonard to just retire for the second time in five days. He first declared Leonard should do everybody a favor and just retire already on his podcast released shortly after news broke that the superstar was hurt again. Today he said the Clippers need to force Leonard to retire because otherwise he'll continue to drain money from the cap sheet and never deliver on what was promised. It sounds like he did this before learning that Leonard was diagnosed with a torn meniscus but it is unlikely that would've changed anything about the diatribe. In fact, it probably would've given Smith more juice."Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers should force Kawhi Leonard to retire."—@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/s9fAlG0BFi— First Take (@FirstTake) April 26, 2023Obviously shocking that we'd ever say this about Stephen A. Smith but, uh, this all seems a little dramatic! Smith just seems mad that Leonard got hurt again, which is a little weird. If he was advocating for the Clippers to do the right thing and force an oft-injured player to consider hanging them up before his issues become lifelong, that would be one thing. That is not what's happening. It sure is frustrating for basketball fans to watch Leonard give glimpses of the monstrous player he was before getting hurt again. It is probably infuriating and devastating in equal measures for the Clippers to watch this happen over and over. But it isn't our money and most fans would prefer the chance of seeing Leonard again rather than the certainty of never seeing him at all, even with the few peaks and many valleys that accompany his presence on the basketball court in recent years. It will be a bummer the day Kawhi retires. The Clippers should not be in any rush to force that day to arrive sooner than it should because what other option do they really have?
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Pioli, 50, took over Lazio in June 2014 and led them to finish third in Serie A last season, but has struggled this season.
In the derby, Stephan El Shaarawy put Luciano Spalletti s side ahead and Edin Dzeko added a second before Marco Parolo hit back.
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Last season s losing finalists Chelsea return to FA Cup action on Saturday with a trip to Championship side Norwich City.
The Blues were favourites to lift the trophy last May, but were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal at Wembley as the Gunners won the competition for the third time in four years.
They head into Saturday s game on the back of a at Arsenal on Wednesday.
Norwich have won two of their previous three Championship games and are currently 13th in table after 26 games.
Chelsea are priced at 4/9 to win the game, with Norwich available at 6/1. The draw is on offer at 10/3, but visit before wagering to give yourself the chance of boosting your bankroll.
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Last month, Bony signed a one-year contract extension at the Liberty Stadium, but speculation regarding the Ivorian s future continue to dominate the headlines.
Speaking ahead of the Swans league clash against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday, Monk has moved to rubbish reports linking Bony with a January exit from the club.
He s a Swansea City player, said Monk.
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Lionel Messi will start from the bench in Argentina s opening Copa America Centenario fixture against defending champions Chile.
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Jenkins told the Swansea Evening Post: I think it s good to do things with caution.
He (Gomis) is still here and we are hoping to get things concluded soon.
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