We don’t know when Kawhi Leonard will return from his bothersome knee, or how well he’ll play once he does. But early in the season, it’s pretty evident we shouldn’t expect the Clippers to just fade away, per NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“The Clippers will stay relevant despite their injuries,” McMenamin predicted. “Not saying they will certainly make the playoffs, or even the play-in, but this group won’t bottom out.”
Basically, no one is guaranteeing a postseason berth, but this team’s not headed for the bottom either. If anything, the Clippers are showing a level of grit behind James Harden that’s hard to ignore.
For instance, on opening night they pushed the Suns to overtime in a thriller, and then they went on the road and knocked off the Nuggets with a 37-point night from Norman Powell. It’s just the kind of fight Tyronn Lue has been getting from this group.
Along with all that, they went to Golden State and knocked off the Warriors in their home opener.
Lue’s got the Clippers locked in defensively, and the numbers prove it. Right now, they’re sitting with the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA, giving up just 104.8 points per 100 possessions. That’s no small feat, especially considering the injuries.
It’s clear Lue has received early buy-in from his guys. So while they might not have all the flash, they’ve got the toughness to keep things interesting.
Bottom line? Don’t sleep on these Clippers. Staying relevant in the loaded Western Conference takes a lot, but with their defense and Lue’s leadership, they’re not about to just roll over.
If they keep this intensity and get healthy down the stretch, they could be in the thick of things. It’s early, but we’ve seen signs of that already.
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