The Unflappable LA Clippers

In what were two highly lauded and intense games to open the season, the LA Clippers showed an exceptional calmness, methodically terminating their opponents.

The LA Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers season opener, heralded as a Western Conference Finals preview ever since rosters were set and the 2019-2020 schedule came out, had all the makings to be a dogged slugfest from start to finish. Through three or so quarters, that’s just what it was. The Lakers took an early lead as the Clippers worked through their opening jitters, then the Clips took their lead, and then it was back and forth for a while. Just what you’d expect from two of the more talent-laden teams in the conference. Of course, the Clippers would eventually take control of the game and finish off strong.

What might be more impressive than the flashy dunks, tough defense, and big shots, was the poise that the Clippers players displayed through it all.

Even as the Clippers went down early, their resolve never wavered. There never really seemed to be any sense of panic among the players or coaching staff. It was a constant blue-collar worker’s mentality, swinging from being down 11 to up by 14, and closing out the game strong.

When the offense was a little stagnant early on, Doc Rivers simply turned to his cure-all, one-two punch in Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. Voila, the offense got rolling. When they needed more length and quickness to help Kawhi Leonard disrupt passing lanes? Just sub in Maurice Harkless; he’s going to play great defense and you may even get some timely three balls out of it.

The Clippers were able to roll with the punches and do their thing, even when a few swing calls didn’t go their way in an intense third quarter. They simply ran their offense and played right through a scorching hot streak of deep shooting, ala Danny Green. Things that, were they not a group possessing such great fortitude, may have caused them to fold. The Clippers as a team appeared to possess phenomenal balance and tact through it all, much like their new superstar.

Against their (former) perennial tormentors, the Golden State Warriors, it was… not so close. The Clippers were surgical from tip-off. Kawhi Leonard did his thing, dicing up the opposing defense and the team jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. But once again, the game was not without its adversity. DeAngelo Russell took it upon himself to score ten straight points and of course, Stephen Curry eventually got going and did his thing. But it was all business for the Clips. They kept their composure and stayed the course. Every member of the team doing their job until the Warriors were being blown out of their own brand new building–a glorious sight.

The lethal calm with which they were able to play doesn’t just happen, though. It’s a byproduct of what everyone involved in the Clippers organization has worked to build, from players to coaches, to the front office. It’s a coolness that comes with knowing that everything has been done the right way, top-to-bottom and that each individual needs only plays their role for the collective to succeed.

It’s not that the Clippers didn’t have to play hard to win on opening day, because they absolutely did. It was hard-fought on both sides. But no one player on the Clippers had to do too much. That is to say, the team’s depth and varying skillsets allowed for each Clippers player to simply play their game; doing what they’re comfortable with and what they excel at. It’s only natural that things come a little easier when you don’t have to force things. Granted, knowing you have guys that can get you a bucket at any given time in Kawhi, Sweet Lou, and Paul George (further down the line) will always help a restless mind feel at ease.

The team’s culture plays no small part in their ability to expertly navigate the highs and lows of a game, either. The players on this Clippers team know their identity. They know that they hang their hat on being a gritty, tough team that won’t ever back down from a challenge. Every time any one of them steps on the floor, they know what they’re about. Even with all the new faces that have joined the squad, everyone has bought in and don’t have the sort of apprehension that typically comes with sharing the floor with new players. That just comes down to guys like Patrick Beverly, Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams, and even Kawhi (despite being new), who set the tone for everyone else. Having that mentality established from day one is fantastic to see, though maybe not that big a surprise.

Ultimately, these games were the first of many. The team will go on to gel and build more chemistry as the season progresses. Learning the more intricate tendencies of one another and becoming even more efficient as a unit. Not to mention incorporating some very meaningful missing pieces. It’s not asking all that much to envision a squad like this smoothly rolling through the regular season if they continue to display the poise and professionalism they did against their Los Angeles counterparts.

This is the sort of team that the Clippers front office has built, though. One of balance and depth, that also happens to feature two perennial All-Stars. A proverbial Swiss army knife of a roster that can take any number of forms to tackle whatever obstacle stands before them.

Games won’t always come easy and there will undoubtedly be nights they face teams that they simply don’t match up well against. With that said, for the Clips to have displayed such poise in some of the most intense, raucous atmospheres they’ll ever find themselves in, one can’t help but take heart in what was shown on opening night and in the subsequent beatdown of Golden State. They’ve shown that they can handle a challenge, getting the job done, even if the situation may not exactly favor them. The league is on notice, but the Clippers will just keep on plugging away, never too high or too low.