The Ugly
The difference between the bad and the ugly? The ugly can linger past this one bad performance. We have to start with the obvious.
Lou Williams left the game with a sore left hamstring in the second quarter and did not return. Outside of Luc Mbah a Moute, the Clippers have been fairly blessed to avoid the injury bug so far this year.
Lou is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s match-up against Toronto, so there’s no telling yet how much time he will miss, if any. Still, even if he his able to suit up tonight, no one likes the idea of him playing with an injury that can linger throughout the year.
As I said in the last slide, no bench player scored in double-digits. Lou left the game with seven points, so it is probably safe to assume he would have gotten there had he been able to stay in the game. His scoring off the bench is huge for LA, but so is his play making.
Patrick Beverley is capable of dishing the ball out, but Lou has shown himself to be the team’s primary playmaker, leading the team in assists per game at 4.5.
If LA wants to make a serious run at the playoffs, they will need Lou. The team has a tough slate of games ahead of them (vs. TOR, @ SAS, @ OKC, vs. POR, vs. DAL, vs. DEN, @ GSW) and will have to truly earn their wins. Lou being able to play is essentially a necessity for that to happen.
The Clippers are back home tonight to face Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors.