LA Clippers: Small-ball lineup the way to go for Clips

There has been a lot of pressure mounted on the LA Clippers so far this postseason, and in their current series vs. the Jazz, it is no different.

Coach Ty Lue has been chopping and changing lineups throughout and has found success with the small-ball lineup in the past against teams with traditional centers. The Clips have rolled with a small-ball lineup against the Jazz for three of the first four games, which has forced three-time Defensive Player of the Year and this season’s winner, Rudy Gobert, out of the paint.

With that being said, in Game 3, we saw him match-up on fellow Frenchman, Nicolas Batum, who contributed 17 points and seven rebounds, whilst going four of six from three-point range. He really made Gobert accountable, making him defend outside the paint.

The small-ball lineup has been the formula that has helped the LA Clippers overcome and comeback from some huge deficits during this postseason.

The Clippers 1-2 punch of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been capitalizing on this and have been able to get to the rim with some consistency. This lineup has provided LA with plenty of needed buckets, in tough situations. Leonard and George over the last two games have combined for 18 of 24 shooting from less than 5 feet from the basket.

Kawhi and PG have made careers out of creating their own shot, creating for others, and getting inside the paint. Without Gobert inside clogging the paint, this makes the task a lot simpler. If shooters such as Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard are ready to receive those passes and able to knock down the three-ball with some conviction, this could be very difficult for Quinn Snyder and his Utah Jazz to overcome.

If the Clippers continue to use the small-ball lineup effectively and get into the paint this series, it could go a long way, and potentially could see the Clippers in their first Western Conference Finals.