I truly believe the Los Angeles Clippers should be the favorites to win the 2019-2020 NBA Championship. However, it would also be fair to say they have underachieved so far during the regular season. LA hasn’t taken the regular season seriously, but they are only 1 game out of the 5th seed as things currently stand. Isn’t that at least somewhat alarming? What’s the root of the issue? Is it possible the Clippers have a fatal flaw?
The Clippers have the best collection of talent, in my opinion. However, I’m not sure all of the pieces match perfectly. I’m not saying they are a bad fit, just not quite perfect. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Marcus Morris, and Lou Williams have what in common? All of them are ball stoppers. The Clippers aren’t passing the ball as frequently as other teams.
That category all the way on the right is the number of passes made per game. The Clippers are the 6th worst team in that mark. Now, I’m not saying this means everything. The Bucks are right ahead of them and the Warriors are the top passing team in the league. What I am saying is that I think it’s potentially a problem and it’s noticeable when you watch them play.
LA doesn’t have an igniter for the offense. They don’t have that Steph Curry to make the offense run. Do they have a lead guard you feel confident running the offense through? I love Patrick Beverley but that’s your point guard. Lou Williams is more of a scorer. Is it possible the Clippers have too many scorers and not enough ball movers?
Kawhi’s assist numbers are way up but how often do you want him in the iso making plays for others? You feel better about him as the go to scorer. Paul George is a great number two option but he’s been inconsistent and hurt so far this year. The Lou Williams – Montrezl Harrell pick and pop unit has been less effective than a year ago. Good luck getting the ball from Marcus Morris. He’s averaging 1.5 assists per game.
I wrote this at the time, but I thought there was a chance the Marcus Morris trade could backfire. LA has lost 3 straight and are 5-5 in their last ten. Adding Reggie Jackson probably adds another grease fire to the locker room. LA is way too dependent on Landry Shamet to space things out. The Clippers seem more concerned with spiting the Lakers than they do about their own success.
At the end of the day, the Clippers should still be the favorites to reach the Finals. Still, it’s hard not to be at least a little concerned about them moving forward. Maybe health is more important than on court regular season success for this team. Too many scorers and not enough ball movers. We will find out if it burns the Clippers.
