The LA Clippers have major goals for 2023-24. This team - in no uncertain terms - was built to win an NBA championship.
So, their recent play has been concerning. The Clippers have been uninspiring. Luckily, they were (barely) able to hang a win on the Philadelphia 76ers last night.
Ahead of that contest, a major NBA analyst had a lot to say about the squad.
Brian Windhorst sounds off on LA Clippers
You've seen the clip, right? Surely, you've seen the clip. Here it is - just in case:
.@WindhorstESPN SOUNDS OFF on the Clippers ✍️
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 27, 2024
Can the Clippers' Big Three get it right? 👀 pic.twitter.com/dEpcYs7hgs
Windhorst is...how do we put this? He's notoriously verbose. This is not a man who is afraid to tell the public how he feels.
Moreover, Windhorst's career is partly built on engagement. He needs to make bold statements - they pay the bills.
With that said, we'll give Windhorst some credit. He knows the NBA, and he knows basketball. His opinions hold some weight around the league
Did he have a point in this case?
LA Clippers won "must-win" game
Yes and no. Technically, the only "must-win" games are elimination games in the playoffs. That's a sentiment that you'll hear the league's head coaches echo as well.
On the other hand, the Clippers have been on a skid lately. Windhorst's assertion that this game was important held some validity.
Luckily, the Clippers won.
LA Clippers ease some anxiety
Sure, this was a one-point game. Yes, it ended controversially. We know: Joel Embiid wasn't available.
CLIPPERS-SIXERS ENDING WAS WILD 🤯
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 28, 2024
Sixers were NOT happy. pic.twitter.com/qNeBgpnXWS
It was still a win against a playoff-caliber team. That's critical. After all, as Windhorst pointed out, the Clippers are falling short of their lofty ambitions. This team needs to be fighting for optimal playoff seeding.
Was his claim that they're "too close to the play-in" a bit hyperbolic? We think so. The Clippers are seven games ahead of the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors. It would take an unprecedented collapse for them to lose their place in the playoffs.
Still, as Windhorst mentions, avoiding the Denver Nuggets in the second round would be nice. More broadly, the Clippers should be looking to find their stride ahead of the postseason.
They don't need Brian Windhorst to tell them that.