Following a slow start to this
season, the Los Angeles Clippers have had an incredible
turnaround.
Immediately after acquiring star
guard James Harden, the Clippers lost seven of 10 games, leading to
some questions about Harden’s fit and whether the team could right
the ship.
However, since Harden’s infamous
“give us 10 games and we’ll figure it out” statement, the Clippers
have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They have the best
record in the NBA since Dec. 1, and they have won 15 of their last
18 games and 20 of their last 26.
Los Angeles has the fourth-best
record in the Western Conference (23-13), while boasting the NBA’s
seventh-best offense (scoring 116 points per 100 possessions) and
ninth-best defense (allowing 110.4 points per 100
possessions).
The Clippers have been rolling
as of late, and here are several reasons for their recent
success.
Kawhi Leonard is healthy again and having an MVP-caliber
season
The Clippers’ undisputed best
player is currently having his healthiest season in years, playing
31-of-35 possible games. Leonard is currently shooting a
career-best 52% from the field and is the biggest reason for Los
Angeles’ surge. The Clippers have registered 12-straight wins with
Leonard in the lineup, and he ranks 10th in the league in scoring
over that stretch. Leonard’s numbers – 28.1 points, 6.4 rebounds
and 3.9 assists – are impressive, and he recently
became the first player in NBA
history to shoot 60% from the field, 50% from three-point range and
90% from the free-throw line over a 13-game span – an astounding
demonstration of his dominance and efficiency this
season.
Paul George is playing as a second ‘Batman’ rather than
being a ‘Robin’
Rather than being Robin to
Leonard’s Batman, Paul George has proven he’s more than just a
second fiddle this season. The 6-foot-9 forward has a solid
All-Star case so far, averaging 23.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8
assists, 3.4 threes and 1.6 steals, while shooting 45.8% from the
field, 40.8% from three-point range and 92.4% from the free-throw
line. George has taken it upon himself to carry more of the
offensive load thus far even when Leonard is playing, scoring at
least 20 points in nine-straight outings. This aggressive approach
has done wonders for the Clippers.
James Harden is playing efficiently and making
sacrifices
With the Clippers, James Harden
isn’t in a primary-scorer role. Although his resume speaks for
itself, the 10-time All-Star and three-time scoring champ has
deferred the scoring duties to Leonard and George. Instead,
Harden’s main job is to distribute the ball and keep the offense
running, which makes scoring a secondary goal at this stage of his
career. Also, he’s constantly finding center Ivica Zubac for lob
opportunities and even Norman Powell off catch-and-shoot
actions.
This has led to one of Harden’s
most efficient seasons, as he’s shooting a career-best 42% from
three and a True Shooting percentage of 65%. Harden has been at his
best when he’s playing alongside the Clippers’ All-Star forwards,
as the three-man lineup of Harden, Leonard and George has a net
efficiency rating of
plus-17.8 and has outscored opponents by 143 points.
Furthermore, the trio ranks
first among the NBA’s three-man lineups in several different
categories including net
rating (25.6), offensive rating (131.7), defensive rating (106),
three-point percentage (43%), True Shooting percentage (65%) and
turnovers (10.6).
Tyronn Lue finally playing bigs and shying away from
center-less lineups
But perhaps the biggest
difference between this year’s Clippers and previous versions of
the team might be Tyronn Lue finally playing his centers and using
them to their full extent. His usual obsession with small-ball
lineups — with wings at the 4 and 5 spots — has been non-existent
this season, particularly since the team moved Nicolas Batum and
Marcus Morris as part of the trade that netted Harden.
In previous seasons, Lue would
close out games with Batum at the 5, or even at times playing
George or Leonard there (which was kind of outrageous). Now, he
utilizes his centers much better. On offense, Harden uses Zubac as
a roller and rim threat for lobs, with Zubac catching and finishing
easy buckets. Also, Russell Westbrook has good chemistry with
backup center Daniel Theis in the second unit. Defensively, the
Clippers no longer have a size disadvantage that leads to offensive
rebounds by opposing players, as Zubac and incoming Mason Plumlee
command minutes and bring physicality.
Using bigs has certainly changed
the way Los Angeles plays. Everything seems to be going right
for the Clippers, who will
try to continue their strong play and contend for a
championship.
