Clipperholics
Fansided

Three takeaways from the LA Clippers’ blowout win over Pelicans

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Los Angeles Clippers Center Montrezl Harrell (5) reacts to a call during a NBA game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers on November 24, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Los Angeles Clippers Center Montrezl Harrell (5) reacts to a call during a NBA game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers on November 24, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 24: LA Clippers forward Paul George (13) argues a call during the New Orleans vs LA Clippers NBA basketball game on November 24, 2019, at Staples Center Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 24: LA Clippers forward Paul George (13) argues a call during the New Orleans vs LA Clippers NBA basketball game on November 24, 2019, at Staples Center Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

LA Clippers correct early-season issues

The LA Clippers have struggled mightily with two vital things so far this season — turning the ball over and three-point shooting.

Coming into Sunday’s game, the Clippers were a bottom-five team in committing turnovers, averaging 17.3 per game, and were shooting 34.8 percent from three-point range, a bottom-10 mark. For a team with title aspirations, that simply won’t do.

There are reasonable explanations for each of these stats. The most important, though, is that the Clippers didn’t have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the floor together until the 15th game of the season.

Before that, there was a real lack of familiarity on both ends of the floor, and that’s something that we didn’t see last season. Again, this makes sense. The Clippers’ main sources of offense and defense are Leonard and George, and the two hadn’t practiced with the rest of the team until about two weeks ago. Turnovers are going to happen.

Fortunately, the team is starting to look more comfortable together, and that showed up in the box score Sunday night.

LA committed a season-low six turnovers against New Orleans, three lower than the previous low of nine. It was just the second time this season that the Clippers have limited their turnovers to single-digits.

Hopefully, that’ll become a pattern. Consistency will be crucial on the offensive side of the floor, and giving up so many turnovers is an easy way to get frustrated and start forcing things.

The other area that needed improvement was three-point shooting, and that’s another thing that seems to have corrected itself Sunday.

The Clippers came out firing from three-point range against New Orleans, and it worked. LA sunk five of its first 11 from deep and 16-of-43 overall, or 37.2 percent. It’s the fifth-most efficient shooting night this team has had from behind the arc so far this season.

George was a big reason for the high number of makes and attempts, connecting on six of his own 16 shots from three-point range Sunday night. He finished the game with 18 points, all of which came from deep.

Leonard, Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley were solid from range as well, combining to hit 6-of-14 overall.

Time will tell if these numbers are sustainable for the Clippers, but things appear to be at least looking up.

Home/Clippers News