The LA Clippers have had some disappointing games recently, but there have still been plenty of bright spots this season. What has been most impressive so far?
Christmas is just a few days away. As we sit back and think about our wish lists, time with family, time off work, and it being acceptable to eat copious amounts of mince pies at this time of the year (I’m an addict), there’s a lot to be thankful for. We can apply that same grateful attitude to the NBA world, including what we’ve seen from the LA Clippers this season.
Things have tumbled after the franchise-best 14-2 start, and they haven’t been able to continue leading the league in defensive efficiency. Going 7-6 since that start has been far more mediocre with a handful of disappointing losses, and now Blake Griffin has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will miss four to six weeks. It hasn’t been the best week for fans.
We know the team can cope under the leadership of Chris Paul and others like J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan increasing their role, precisely as they did during Griffin’s absence. But, even still, the loss of his talent hurts. And now we know that he’s been dealing with knee issues for a little while now and could play through it no longer, that’s one explanation as to why his bounce and defensive activity as of late have looked off.
Anyway, there is still a lot to be positive about and there are several impressive elements of the Clippers’ performance so far. From Luc Mbah a Moute improving his range and offensive game to the impact of Marreese Speights and Raymond Felton, here is the Clipperholics staff on what has impressed them most from the first 29 games.