Clippers will focus on winning more regular-season games
The Clippers stars are healthy, the point guard is back, a talented young player has joined the team, as well as a first-round draft pick, and championship aspirations are in hand as training camp begins Tuesday.
Every team comes into the NBA season eyeing the NBA title and the Clippers are no different. For the past four seasons, with the tandem of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George at the helm, the Clippers have appeared to be a championship-caliber team.
To assure themselves of a long postseason run, the team's focus in recent seasons had been on keeping their stars healthy for the playoffs. But that hasn't happened as injuries to both George and Leonard have cut their past three seasons short, dashing any championship dreams. Last year, they had to fight to make the playin tournament.
This season, the Clippers are switching it up, putting the focus on winning more regular-season games instead of saving the best for last.
“I think we need to compete harder every single night,” said Lawrence Frank, Clippers' president of basketball operations. “I think we owe it to ourselves. We owe it to the fans. We want to be a championship organization and we have to invest deeper into the process.
“I mean, the last 28 years, the NBA champion has been a topthree seed, so you have to earn it. The regular season matters.”
That means from Oct. 25 to mid-April, the Clippers will look to compete every night and take a boxing gloves rather than kid gloves approach in dealing with their stars. George and Leonard played only 38 games together last season and that won't work this season — barring injuries.
“Not that our guys don't think it (regular season) matters, but I just think we, all of us and starting with me, we can compete harder every day,” Frank said. “We can hold each other accountable every day. And that's just what we have to do.
“As a team, in terms of our goals, we can compete harder in everything we do. We know we can.”
To reach their goals, the Clippers not only will be looking to their duo stars, but other starters, such as Ivica Zubac and Rusell Westbrook.
Westbrook decided to stay with Clippers, agreeing to a two-year, $8 million deal — the non-Bird exception — a dramatic decrease from the five-year, $206 million he had in pocket before being traded (Lakers) and waived (Utah).
And the Clippers are all too happy to have the mercurial playmaker back after he averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists on 48.9% shooting in 30.2 minutes per game for the Clippers.
The Clippers for the most part remained intact. The lone major move they made was in acquiring Kenyon Martin Jr., a talented young rotation player. He averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds on 57% shooting last season with the Houston Rockets.
Rookie Kobe Brow, a 6-8 guard, is expected to see action this season.
One big question for the Clippers entering training camp this week: How does having Westbrook back make the team better?
The Clippers will have Westbrook for an entire season, giving them a chance to see how completely he fits into the offense. He showed in 21 games last season that he could be efficient in scoring without having to be the focal point — until he had to be.
When George ( knee sprain) and Leonard (torn meniscus) both got hurt, Westbrook was thrust into the spotlight and looked like the Westbrook of old, driving and passing and scoring 30 or more points in consecutive games against the Phoenix Suns. Although it didn't keep the Suns from winning the series, it showed that the Clippers have a capable option in case of injury.
He gives the team a fulltime legitimate playmaking guard, something they have coveted since Chris Paul wore a Clippers uniform.
Frank said Leonard and George will be coming into training camp healthy.
George has recovered from the sprained knee that sidelined him late last season, and Leonard is ready to go after having surgery to clean up a torn right meniscus he suffered in the playoffs.