Over the past two weeks, the LA Clippers have seemingly turned their fortunes around. After one of the worst starts to the season compared to every other team with championship aspirations, the Clippers found themselves off to a 6-21 start. Since December 19th, the team has gone 5-0, including wins over the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Detroit Pistons. This is what the fans wanted to witness on day one.
The Clippers now look like what was expected of a team with Tyronn Lue at the helm. They are moving the ball, shooting well, and playing better defense. In fact, three of the last five opposing teams have not scored over 100 points.
James Harden and Kawhi Leonard have seemed to turn back the clock. On December 28th against the Detroit Pistons, Leonard posted a franchise-record tying 55 points, with Harden adding 28 himself.
Maybe the most surprising aspect of the stretch has been the absence of Ivica Zubac. He suffered an ankle sprain against the Lakers on December 20th, the game that marked the start of the Clippers’ streak. In his absence, Brook Lopez has been serviceable, and Yanic Konan Niederhasuer has been impressive off the bench.
Lopez had one awe-inspiring game against the Portland Trail Blazers, posting 31 points and nine made three-pointers. He unfortunately has not kept this production up, but with the team winning, he is playing his role.
Wins should not distract the key areas that need improvement
The key to the LA Clippers' recent turnaround has simply been the idea of prospering within responsibility. Everybody is playing their role to near perfection, and it seems like they are finally over the bad press that plagued the start of the season. Additionally, the rookies have picked up the losses of Ivica Zubac and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Furthermore, Bogdanovic left the game after two minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers and was ruled out. No timetable has been given for his return, and with him gone, the team lost another legitimate option.
The hole in this Clippers team is still the lack of a third, shot-creating scorer, and with the deadline slowly approaching, they could land one. Immediately, Tre Mann of the Charlotte Hornets comes to mind. With Chris Paul being a North Carolina native, giving him a true homecoming in exchange for Mann makes perfect sense.
Mann is a talented scorer, has shown playmaking promise, and is only 24 years old. He started his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder before being buried on their roster by other young talent and was traded to the Hornets. Now, the Hornets have multiple young guards, making Mann a prime trade candidate.
The other option is to let it ride with rookie Kobe Sanders. While Sanders seems like a pro, he lacks consistency. Over the last three games, Sanders has taken 12 shots, made five, and totaled 12 points. While his role as a playmaker could be a large part in this, the need for a bench scorer in Bogdanovic’s absence is clear.
The turnaround for this team has been exciting nonetheless. The team is finally showing life, balance, and consistency. While there is still over half the season left, fans should be excited to hopefully see the rest of their dreams materialize.