Clippers' secret weapon is making up for lost time

So far this season, Kris Dunn, a former lottery pick, has had the best start to a year than ever before. Head coach Tyronn Lue is utilizing him perfectly, and although it took many years for Dunn’s potential to be maximized, it is better late than never, as he is making an early case for Sixth Man of the Year.

Furthermore, many fans want to see Dunn start with James Harden. The success rate simply seems higher with these two guards leading the backcourt, but Lue sees something different with Bradley Beal.

Even in Beal’s first missed contest of the year, Dunn did not start; Bogdan Bogdanovic did. This hints that Lue wants Dunn to stay on the bench, as he feels the veteran guard will be more productive there.

Nonetheless, Dunn might not ever reach the star-caliber, two-way player pre-draft expectations, yet LA’s championship aspirations are nothing without him, even if he is only playing around 20 minutes per game.

Kris Dunn has begun his tenth season in the best way possible

Amid the LA Clippers’ home opener against the Phoenix Suns, announcer Jim Jackson mentioned multiple times throughout the game, specifically when Kris Dunn had the ball and hesitated to shoot a three-pointer, that he had seen the veteran guard work on his jumper tirelessly during the summer.

Dunn likely heard it from Tyronn Lue on the sidelines as well, as the Clippers want him to shoot the open shot. He eventually listened and ended the game with two threes on four attempts.

However, Dunn has been much more than just a great three-point shooter throughout the Clippers’ first three games. He is cutting on offense, crashing the glass on both sides of the ball, and defending with all his might.

In fact, Dunn’s energy was a big reason why the Clippers made a mid-game turnaround against the Suns, as they were down by almost ten at one point, and he was the main one hustling and picking up guys like Devin Booker full court.

Lue was asked something along these lines in the postgame presser, and he made sure to give Dunn his credit.

That said, Dunn’s first three games of the year have gone under the radar to every fan base but the Clippers, but once the regular season reaches the halfway point, every voter will begin to consider him as their pick for Sixth Man of the Year; his first major accomplishment if won.