Clippers developing more accountability
The Clippers have 10 regular-season games to make a statement. Ten games to show the rest of the league they are legitimate contenders for an NBA title.
It shouldn't be a difficult task altogether if everyone is healthy and playing well.
The Clippers have won five of their past six games — Saturday's loss to Orlando without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup being the exception. Paul George said after Sunday night's 117-102 victory against Portland that the team, with Leonard on the floor, has a more focused mindset heading into the final stretch than when they dropped five consecutive games after the All-Star break.
“We expect to win now and that's really the key,” George said. “We expect to win, we expect to play well. We know what we need to do and we know what it looks like when we are at our peak.
“We're dialed in.” With nine of the 10 games left on their schedule against Western Conference opponents, the emphasis for the Clippers (3834) now is holding onto their conference standing. They are currently fifth but sit just a half-game behind fourth-place Phoenix (3833) with three weeks left.
The Clippers start the final stretch with consecutive home games against the Oklahoma City Thunder (35-36) tonight and Thursday. On Saturday, they host the New Orleans Pelicans (34-37), followed by a home game against the Chicago Bulls (33-37) on March 27.
Later that week, the Clippers travel to Memphis for a pair of games against the
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Today: Oklahoma City at Clippers, 7:30p.m., BSSC
Grizzlies (43-27) and a single game against New Orleans before coming home to face the Lakers (35-37) on April 5 and Portland (31-40) on April 8. They close the regular season against the Suns on April 9 in Phoenix.
“I think now we are holding each other accountable because we know what it looks like when we succeed,” George said. “And that gave us that accountability to step up.”
George said it took time for the four new players to find their place and feel comfortable with Coach Tyronn Lue's game plans. Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee have all found their footing with the Clippers. Westbrook is their starting point guard, Gordon a significant role player and Plumlee a strong backup center to Ivica Zubac.
Only second-year Bones Hyland has not cracked the rotation.
Leonard said that “once the guys settled in and saw what we were doing, things started to change.”
One of the biggest changes has been in Leonard's production and health. He has played in 37 games — the Clippers won 23 of them — over the past three-plus months and is generating 23.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 37.7 minutes per game. Leonard's defense also is integral to the Clippers' success.
When he is absent, the Clippers don't fare as well. They have lost eight of nine games, including Saturday's loss to Orlando, when he sat on the bench alongside injured Norman Powell.