Since the All-Star break, the Clippers have stumbled into mediocrity, morphing from a powerhouse into a .500 team since the All-Star break struggling to hold their ground against opponents above the .500 mark. With less than 10 games remaining before the playoffs, this is hardly the time for the team to be grappling with existential crises. Yet, in recent weeks, PG, Harden, and even Coach Ty Lue have openly acknowledged the team’s lack of identity.
Sure, injuries have plagued the Clippers, with Russ nursing his wounds for nearly a month, Ivica’s return from injury failing to ignite his former spark, and Harden seemingly running on fumes after playing non-stop without the luxury of a preseason camp. But let’s face it, many of the Clippers’ woes have been festering all season long. Some argue that their rise to dominance in December and January was nothing but a fluke, masked by the lethargy of the NBA’s dog days.
The root of the Clippers’ problems is glaring: nonchalant offense and old-man sluggish defense, both symptomatic of a team devoid of energy and urgency. Offensively, the Clippers’ playbook has devolved into a sad spectacle of aimless dribbling that leads to late shot-clock rushed shots. The team takes 20 seconds to have Kawhi attempt to leverage screens for favorable matchups, leaving the team scrambling for shots as the shot clock winds down. Ty Lue has decided to entrust PG with more ball-handling duties, and while Paul has been playing relatively well, the possessions where Paul has the ball don’t get other players involved and rely on Paul hitting tough shots, often at the expense of team cohesion.
Defensively, the Clippers are hemorrhaging points like a leaky faucet, with rotations often slow and communication lacking; the Harden/Zu pick-and-roll defense is as bad as a defensive frontline gets. Championship-caliber teams in the NBA typically boast top-tier offense and defense, yet the Clippers have languished in the bottom echelons of defensive rankings for over a month, casting doubt on their postseason aspirations.
As the regular season draws to a close, Ty Lue’s experimentation with small-ball lineups has only added to the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the team’s prospects. Every game, Ty has a different frontcourt getting the majority of minutes. With less than 10 games remaining, the Clippers’ playoff hopes hang in the balance, teetering on the brink of either a triumphant resurgence or an especially disappointing collapse. The time for excuses and experimentation is over; it’s now or never for the Clippers to salvage their playoff dreams and mount a credible postseason challenge.
West Coast Hoops 