The LA Clippers three biggest problems this season

2 of 3

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 28: Head coach Tyronn Lue of the LA Clippers talks with his team during a timeout against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on January 28, 2021 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Problems facing the LA Clippers #2: Weird offense

A common theme this season has been that the LA Clippers are a jump-shooting team. Many people hear that and assume everything is coming from deep. They’re actually middle of the pack in three-pointers attempted per game at fourteenth (34.5), but they do convert them at a league-best 41.4%.

That seems good but when you dig into the stats a bit more, it becomes apparent that the team relies on a ton of jump shots. The Clippers are next to last at percentage of points scored in the paint, ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers. That seems a bit worse.

Now, I will note that most contenders don’t actually rank that highly in that stat. In order of where they appear in percentage of points in the paint:

Los Angeles Lakers: 5th
Denver Nuggets: 14th
Philadelphia 76ers: 15th
Brooklyn Nets: 20th
Phoenix Suns: 24th
Utah Jazz: 27th

If we aren’t that far off of those teams, jump shots don’t seem so bad. So why do I see an issue with the Clippers’ offense? It comes down to the way their guys seem to operate in the same space.

For starters, we don’t get out in the fast break. The Clippers only get 9.3% of their shots from fast breaks – 26th in the league.

We also generate a lot of our shots in the mid-range as you can see on this hex map. That’s analytically probably not the best but given the Clippers’ have the second-highest offensive rating in the league, it’s hard to argue with.

My concern falls more in line with the eye test. A lot of the Clippers’ offensive players just kind of do the same thing. Sure, one guy might shoot a higher percentage from a certain spot than another guy but is there a ton of difference in their games? What does Marcus Morris do that differently from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George? What does Luke Kennard do that differs from Reggie Jackson or Patrick Beverley on the offensive end? They just occupy a lot of the same spaces.

Luckily, I believe this problem will also take care of itself over time.

We already have Terance Mann attacking the rim, which has given this team a new dynamic. Rajon Rondo should also be able to attack the paint and kick at a higher level than we currently have.

Come postseason, I also expect both Kawhi and PG to get to the rim more, which should open up the offense to different looks. We’ll also at some point have Serge Ibaka back (and possibly DeMarcus Cousins), giving the Clips a five that can space the floor.

That leads us to the team’s biggest problem…

Home/Clippers News