With last night’s 110-93 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Clippers are now 42-25 and have lost four of their last five games. Furthermore, they are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have fallen to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Though the team is successful overall, their recent struggles are noteworthy. On February 6, the Clippers had a one-game lead over three teams for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Since then, the Clippers are 8-10. In a postgame interview, head coach Tyronn Lue talked about the team needing to “play harder for a 48-minute stretch“:
“We definitely can play harder for a 48-minute stretch. It can’t be 32 minutes or it can’t be when you get down. That comes with a veteran team. They think we can turn it on, but these teams are young, they’re fast, they’re turning it on from jump ball, so we got to be able to keep up and we got to be able to match that.”
Furthermore, Paul George was more direct, saying the team doesn’t “have an identity.” Teammate Kawhi Leonard added that the team has been losing games due to a lack of effort, “we didn’t really give all the effort that we could have gave.”
Los Angeles Clippers Stars Open Up About Team’s Struggles
What’s the Cause of the Los Angeles Clippers’ Struggles?
The easy answer is that the team misses Russell Westbrook. Westbrook has played a vital role on the Clippers’ bench and was a favorite to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. On the season, Westbrook is averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. However, the 35-year-old suffered a hand injury earlier this month and underwent surgery. Immediate reports suggested the team was hopeful Westbrook would return before the end of the regular season. While that in its own is good news for the team, it’s clear the Clippers are struggling in his absence. Westbrook has not appeared in a game since March 1. In that time, the Clippers have played nine games and are 4-5 in those games.
Russell Westbrook impact on this Clippers team is highly underrated. Time to play him serious minutes when he’s back
Record with Russ: 35-13
Without Russ: 4-5 pic.twitter.com/JxBMQ2elvx— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) March 18, 2024
Furthermore, the Clippers have had a rough schedule since the beginning of the month. Though the strength of schedule wasn’t too brutal, the Clippers have already played 10 games in the last 17 days. This, in addition to Westbrook’s absence, is a tough challenge for the team to face.
The Clippers Will Be Fine
Practically every team in the NBA will go through their share of ups and downs in a hectic 82-game season. Although they have yet to officially clinch a playoff spot, the Clippers are in a good spot as the No. 4 seed. On paper, the Clippers have a very talented team with a championship-winning head coach. In spite of their recent struggles, the Clippers are a true title contender this year. The Clippers are good enough to work out the kinks before the postseason comes around with 15 games remaining. Only time will tell how quickly they can turn it around.
