The LA Clippers failed once again to move on. The Clippers were unable to advance out of the group stage in the NBA Cup. LA did enough to defend their court with home wins against the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers. However, losses on the road against the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves prevented LA from advancing. It was a better effort compared to last year’s outing, going from 1-3 to 2-2. Unfortunately, besides the improvement, it was not enough to make it out of the group.
Clippers Fail to Advance in NBA Cup for Second Year
The negatives from the NBA Cup came from not being able to close out games. The two losses came on the road to the eventual winners of their group, and number one seed in the Western Conference side of the NBA Cup, the Houston Rockets. In a 21-point blowout, it was a game for the Clippers where their struggles may have been at its worst. The game capped off a three-game losing streak for the Clippers. The other loss came in a very tough outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, in a 93-92 defeat.
The positives from the Clippers during the in-season tournament were the wins at home. Before losing to the Timberwolves on Wednesday at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers had won nine straight at home. Dating back to November 4, the Clippers had collected some big wins at home and have an overall record of 14-10.
Because of having a point differential of +16 in the NBA Cup, LA finished second in their group. It wasn’t enough however, as they were the only second place team to finish 2-2. Every other second place team finished 3-1.
What Went Wrong in the NBA Cup?
The questions for the Clippers will continue when it comes to shining in the big moments. Their loss against the Rockets was a disastrous start to the tournament. James Harden keeps proving he will show up when the Clippers needed him the most, especially in the NBA Cup games. Harden has continuously proven to be the voice and the leader for the Clippers with the absence of Kawhi Leonard. That being said, it cannot solely be on Harden to do the heavy lifting.
The most impactful players this season other than Harden are Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell. They both have been on pace to record career-best numbers over the past month. In this particular game against the Rockets, Zubac and Powell couldn’t maintain their play and arguably had their worst performances of the season. If the Clippers can look back and find a game where their best players could’ve had the biggest impact and show up for their team, it should have been this game. Arguably, this would eventually come back to hurt them as a result of the 2-2 record in this tournament.
Now, with a 14-10 record and the calendar year nearing an end, LA can now focus towards continuing a playoff push. Consistency will be key for the Clippers as they can now shake off the NBA Cup failure and look towards two things: producing wins and maintaining their health.
What’s Next for The Clippers?
Looking ahead, the Clippers will travel on the road for six of their nine remaining games in December. Games against the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks will prove to be tests of how the Clippers can shape up with the rest of the Western Conference.
With some periods of the month allowing the Clippers three or four days of rest, the Clippers have the opportunity to get healthier. The eventual return of Kawhi Leonard should surely give an incredible boost to head coach Tyronn Lue’s squad as LA continues to move forward.
