They could’ve leaned into the fact injuries have hurt their sense of continuity, or a rough recent schedule hurting form but instead star forward Paul George declared they lack an identity after their home defeat by an Atlanta side without Trae Young on Sunday. Collectively, their efforts don’t exude the same confidence it once did earlier this term as the playoffs are fast approaching.
Worry or extended blip? Clippers have lost eight of last 12
- Dejounte Murray posted an impressive 21-point, 10-assist statline while De’Andre Hunter added 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the bench in big away win for play-in hopefuls Atlanta (30-37) without Trae Young
- Paul George and Kawhi Leonard combined for 56 points on 17-of-37 shooting from the floor, while trade acquisition James Harden struggled — scoring as many points (3-of-10 shooting) as he did tally assists (9)
- Cause for concern or just a bad month-long stretch? Per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, George said postgame: “We want to be a team that’s consistent, to establish an identity. I’ve always spoken about having an identity, it’s extremely important – right now, I don’t think we have one.”
IT doesn’t take much for a mini crisis to emerge in the NBA, at any time, but especially around playoff season. Every game is magnified, players and their respective coaches gearing up for another postseason slog where there can only be one champion – and there are usually fewer than five genuine contenders.
Tyronn Lue’s Los Angeles Clippers (42-25) are certainly among them out West this term to threaten Denver’s chances of defending their title, as they have been whenever their star tandem of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George remain healthy.
However you’d be forgiven for dismissing their chances to replicate last year’s deep run given the troublesome form that has hurt them lately, most recently losing by double digits (110-93) at home against a short-handed Hawks team on Sunday.
Sure, it was their sixth game in nine days and they too are hamstrung by injuries – no team is immune – but bigger issues like the above George declared isn’t one that fixes itself overnight. That takes time and patience, which they’re running out of.
Veteran point guard Russell Westbrook (broken left hand) hasn’t featured since the end of January and is unlikely to return until the playoffs begin, while shooting guard Norman Powell (lower leg contusion) was seen on crutches this weekend too.
Lue said what you’d expect: he and his coaching staff continue to emphasise the important of positive habits, protecting the ball, getting back on transition defence, attacking offensive rebounds and spacing the court so they share the ball.
Yet efforts to hit on each of those principles remains inconsistent at a time they need to be much sharper in preparation for a slate of exhausting seven-game series.
He hinted at players potentially being focused on individual goals rather than the team, suggested he’ll make coaching adjustments to remedy their recent poor form before insisting there’d be no internal overreaction given he’s an NBA champion (Cleveland, 2016) and has valuable years’ experience in these situations.
“When they do it, it works. When you have so much talent and guys that can do it so easily, they don’t understand that your talent is great but it’s got to be for the team as well. Maybe it’s me, I got to do something a little different to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do.
I’ll never really overreact because I know we’re a good team, if you want to win, I know what it looks like – I’ve been there and seen it.”
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes hyperlinked
Mo and Sports 