Jonas Valanciunas’ elite performance at LA Clippers is embarrassing for LA

Jonas Valanciunas and the New Orleans Pelicans came to play the LA Clippers on Monday while the Pels were really struggling.

They showed up to Staples as a 5-17 team, but certainly didn’t look like it that night. They blew out the Clippers; beating them 123-104 in a night where Valanciunas carried the team with one of the best performances he’s ever had.

Valanciunas dropped 39 on an insane 15 of 24 shooting and an absurd 7 of 8 from beyond the arc. He collected 15 boards and stole the ball away twice.

The LA Clippers put up an embarrassing effort on Jonas Valciunas.

Jonas Valanciunas is a good player, but performances like that should not be allowed by our LA Clippers.

Valanciunas is averaging 19.3 and 12.4 this year, not anywhere close to 39 and 15. This should not have happened, especially while Serge Ibaka is back. He’s quietely made three-pointers at the highest rate of anybody this season (51.7%), but letting a center drain seven of eight treys is not something the Clippers should be prone to.

It’s not just concerning that Valanciunas did this, but concerning because this is not the first time the Clips have allowed a performance like this.

After all, there are only three other players in NBA history who have had 35 and 15 to go along with seven threes in a game.

Something must have been wrong on Monday if we allowed that type of performance to…Jonas Valanciunas?

I don’t mean to disrespect Valanciunas. He’s been a good player in this league for a long time and is shooting at a historic level right now.

But if the Clippers are prone to allowing performances like this, we may desperately need Kawhi Leonard and his defense back if we want to win the West.