Although adversity rarely occurs as a detrimental factor for teams early in the year, let alone during the first game, the LA Clippers saw it make an arrival in their 21-point loss to the Utah Jazz. This can cause a team slump, and to get out of it quickly, the Clippers need effective leadership, yet, according to Bill Simmons, they do not have it.
Furthermore, the leader and the title “best player on the team” are essentially synonyms in basketball terminology, making Kawhi Leonard the go-to guy who should be able to help the Clippers with their short-term struggles.