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LA Clippers: 3 reasons fans shouldn’t worry about the team’s start

By Ryan Snellings

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 14: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 14, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 14: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 14, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: The LA Clippers clebrates a play against the Charlotte Hornets on October 28, 2019 at STAPLES Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: The LA Clippers clebrates a play against the Charlotte Hornets on October 28, 2019 at STAPLES Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Team Chemistry

Speaking of it only being November, 12 games and a training camp is hardly enough time to build chemistry, especially when we have not seen a single game from this team at full strength. The main issue here has been the lack of Paul George.

I’d be willing to bet a whole lot of money that on Saturday versus Atlanta when he and Kawhi Leonard take the court, fans will be impressed. Add in the fact that Patrick Beverley will be back and this team will look like a whole different beast. Keep in mind, this is still without Landry Shamet who went down due to an ankle sprain. This is the same Shamet who will get extremely wide-open looks when he’s on the court with the superstar duo.

Chemistry takes time. Yes, there are some early surprises like Kawhi and Zubac working extremely well together and carryover such as the Lou Williams/Montrezl Harrell combination, but think of all the changes.

Kawhi obviously is learning to play with a whole new group. We have Patrick Patterson as a starter. The bench is adding in the likes of Maurice Harkless and Rodney McGruder. This doesn’t happen overnight.

Fans have noted poor rotations on defense, especially last night. But these guys are learning on the fly. Did you really think PG would take the court and everything would instantly click? That’s naive.

Over the next few weeks, especially once Shamet returns, we will see this unit start to click. There’s a stretch in late December/early January where I can honestly see the Clippers going 10-1 or even running off eleven straight when everything is coming together. Go ahead. Mark this down.

If there is one thing we know about Doc Rivers, it’s that he is a player’s coach. He will get this group on the same page. You don’t even have to look back further than last year for evidence of that. Let the team go through some growing pains as they learn to work with each other.

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