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LA Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari looks like a completely different player

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 19: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers scores a basket against Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of a basketball game at Staples Center on October 19, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 19: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers scores a basket against Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of a basketball game at Staples Center on October 19, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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LA Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari is off to one of the hottest starts in his career, and although it’s early, he’s showing no signs of slowing.

The LA Clippers have gotten off to an excellent start this season. Now 2-1 nearly a week into the season with quality wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets, two of the West’s elite, LA looks poised to be one of this season’s surprise teams. Fans, of course, expected this sort of thing from their favorite team, one that they felt was heavily underrated going into this year’s campaign. What they might not have expected though, was such a hot start from forward Danilo Gallinari.

In his first three games of action, Gallinari is averaging just under 21 points on 47.4 percent shooting from three, as well as pulling in over seven rebounds per game. And although it is a very small sample size, what Gallinari is doing now for Los Angeles is something he’s only done once before.

Per the LA Times’ Andrew Greif, Sunday’s game marked just the second time in Gallinari’s LA Clippers career that he’s scored 20 or more points in back-to-back games. The first happened in February, when Gallo scored 24 against Chicago on Feb. 3, and 28 against Dallas on Feb. 5.

It also marked the first time that both Gallinari and Tobias Harris had each scored 20 or more points in the same game — a notable achievement, but not shocking considering how little time Harris and Gallo played together last season. Still, it speaks volumes about their ability to work together, even with similar roles, as the season moves along.

Something especially reassuring about Gallo’s game this season is his efficiency. Last year, it never seemed like the 30-year-old got into a real rhythm. Obviously this has the most to do with his frequent injuries, but even when he strung together as many as nine consecutive appearances, his performance was never as good as it is now. After all, Gallo had just five games last season in which he scored 20 or more points. He’s done so in two of his first three this season, with the remainder being a 16-point showing on opening night.

But aside from his stats, there’s something noticeably different about Gallinari. He’s not settling for shots anymore. He’s not just a catch-and-shoot wing. And he also seems a lot more athletic than in years past.

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Maybe this is just how healthy Gallo has always been, and we just didn’t get a chance to realize that last season. Either way, it seems all of Clipper Nation is pulling for him to stay consistent. When he’s playing this way, there’s no limit to what the Clippers can do on the offensive side of the floor.

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