Long story short, the LA Clippers are not playing well to start the regular season. They're turning the ball over far too much, mostly because of Darius Garland; they have few reliable sources of offense, with rookie Keaton Wagler as the team’s second-best scorer; and the rebounding is a disaster, as expected, with Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez starring in the center rotation.
What could flip the switch entirely? Brandon Ingram returning from a partially torn Achilles, which fans all over the world are patiently waiting on. Granted, Ingram is not a top-15 player in the league. But he’s still an experienced first option who can take the lead scoring role, put Garland in a more comfortable spot, limit excessive turnovers, and help on the glass. Altogether, this should improve the win-loss column.
Fortunately, for the Clippers, Ingram is getting closer to a return. Joey Linn, an independent beat writer, reported Ingram is “making progress.”
The LA Clippers will be a completely different team with Brandon Ingram available
The biggest problem the LA Clippers have is turnovers, and it’s not even close. Part of why this issue exists is that Darius Garland is forced to facilitate the entire offense while also being the primary scorer.
As a result, the Clippers are turning the ball over at a league-high rate, costing them several games despite the season being young. In fact, following their loss versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, they have 112 turnovers. That’s one less than the Charlotte Hornets, who’ve played one more game.
Brandon Ingram’s return eases the pressure on Garland to be the main scorer, letting him conserve energy and focus on protecting the ball.
In the same breath, the Clippers are bottom two in the league in points per game. It would make a significant difference, in the right direction, if Ingram, someone who has averaged 20+ for seven consecutive seasons, were out there on the court.
Similarly, Ingram has always been an above-average rebounder. He hasn’t had a season below five per game since 2020-21 and averages 5.2 per game in his career.
If he can do the same for the Clippers regularly, they will go from one of the worst rebounding teams to, at least, borderline top-20. That’s a huge jump.
That said, Ingram’s presence will do wonders for the Clippers. He’ll help in various areas, putting the team in a better position to win games.
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