After the big win over the Kings, the Clippers made 41 wins, and as a result, the Clippers also have a 50% win rate this season. You know, the Clippers have experienced an injury-ridden season this season, not only Leonard's regular season reimbursement, Paul George has also missed most of the season, but the Clippers are still impressive, entering the playoffs with eighth place in the West. So why have the Clippers been so good this season?
Lu directed the platoon
Although the Clippers have lined up 26 starting lineups this season, only the two lineups are the most commonly used. At the same time, the Clippers' three-point shooting rate is very high, ranking third in the bottom corner three-point shooting rate and fourth in the empty three-point shooting rate. With the exception of Jackson and George, everyone on the lineup is above the league average outside the three-point line.
Therefore, the three-pointer is one of the Clippers' magic weapons this season. Even if the Clippers are missing Leonard, the Clippers don't have much disadvantage. When George tore the ligament in his right elbow in late December, they came in fifth place. On January 31, they were ranked 8th and have been in 8th place ever since. Powell and Covington then joined, but in recent games, Powell has delivered satisfactory answers, scoring 107 points in the 126 minutes since joining the Clippers, shooting 51 percent from the field and 54 percent from three-point range.
You know, the Original Intention of the Clippers was to have Leonard and George as the core, supplemented by role players with their own strengths. As a result, it also established the Clippers' system, and in the case of Leonard's regular season hilarity, the Clippers' roster did not collapse.
Since coaching the Clippers, Tyrone Lue has had enough trust in his players, which has also cultivated the confidence of the players, which also makes the Clippers believe that they can beat any opponent at any time, so the Clippers can always make adjustments in each game and can make long-term considerations.
It is worth mentioning that the Clippers rank second in defensive efficiency after the timeout and second in offensive efficiency at key moments, so this is also a testament to Tyrone-Lu's magical tactical guidance.
The Clippers' defense is suffocating
Today, the Clippers' defense can be ranked in the top ten of the league, and teams can switch defenses at will. Including Covington, they have four centers to choose from. At the same time, they have continuity and untapped potential, and players are comfortable playing in any position.
So, with the Clippers defensively excellent, the team seemed to have played a magical performance while it seemed that all aspects had been mediocre since the trade deadline. The Clippers are 12-11, ranked 18th in net wins, 13th in defense, and 18th in offense, and although they look mediocre, the Clippers are bred with greatness in the ordinary.
The Toughness of the Clippers is stunning
Four times this season, the Clippers have been able to reverse again when they're behind 24+ points this season, the most since the "play by play" era.
In addition, the Clippers have reversed five times this season in the case of falling behind by 20+ points, and this is also the third time that the Clippers have reversed in the case of falling behind by 25+, both of which are the most in a single season in the league in the past 20 years.
More importantly, don't forget that the Clippers always seem to be the team that can create magic. In the first two rounds of the playoffs last year, they struggled to qualify against Doncic's outburst and torn cruciate ligaments from their best players, winning from two 0-2 deficits with more pressure on their shoulders than any other team. Therefore, from the body of this Clipper, we can see their strong tenacity and fighting spirit.