The Los Angeles Clippers ended the 2024-25 season on a scorching note, and on the final day of the regular season, they punched their ticket into the playoffs with a rousing 124-119 win over the Golden State Warriors in overtime. But beyond entering the playoffs as the fifth-seed in what will be a very winnable matchup against the Denver Nuggets, the best part of the Clippers’ end to the regular season was that Kawhi Leonard is going to enter the playoffs with a clean bill of health. Leonard played 47 minutes in the Clippers’ regular-season finale and currently looks like the apex version of himself, which is quite the development after the 33-year-old forward saw his playoff run get cut short by knee injuries in 2023 and 2024. And the Clippers star couldn’t be any happier with this development, if his text exchange with former teammate Patrick Beverley is any indication. “Pat, I’m happy I made it through the year,” Beverley read from his exchange with Leonard, via the Pat Bev Pod. Pat Bev on his podcast said Kawhi texted him: "🥹 I'm happy I made it through the season healthy." (via:@PatBevPod) pic.twitter.com/nhJPMEydRF — RB1 (@DemonTimee101) April 16, 2025 Indeed, there is plenty of reason to be joyful of how Leonard continues to work hard in extending his career after everything he has been through. And it’s not like Leonard is merely healthy enough to play; he looks like he’s all the way back, moving like the 25-year-old version of himself. The Clippers’ championship hopes have always hinged on Leonard’s health. And for the first time in a while, the entire Clippers roster will be healthy heading into the playoffs. And every NBA fan who’s been following the league over the past decade or so knows that there may not be a more terrifying player to face in the playoffs than Leonard. Clippers find the right formula to keep Kawhi Leonard healthy Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images What makes James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Norman Powell such important players for the Clippers was that they were able to hold down the fort as the team gave Kawhi Leonard as much time as he needed to recover from the knee issues that had Team USA ruling him out for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Leonard made his return in January and did not play over 30 minutes in a game until one month after returning from injury. He still did not suit up in back-to-backs, and it hasn’t been until recently where Leonard appears to have begun going full-tilt, which means that he might be able to save his best for when it matters the most. In 2021, Leonard was overtaxed by the time the second round of the playoffs came along; the Dallas Mavericks pushed the Clippers to the brink, requiring herculean efforts from Leonard. In 2023, the Clippers had Leonard playing back-to-backs just to make the playoffs, and his body gave out after Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs. And then last year, Leonard peaked early and had knee issues nearly a month before the playoffs, and then he was clearly rushed back from injury as he struggled in two games against the Mavs. But this time around, the Clippers have managed to keep Leonard fresh and ready to go for their series against the Nuggets. And with Leonard healthy, many have the Clippers as a dark-horse contender, and as long as The Klaw is healthy, no one should ever doubt their ability to make a deep playoff run.