February was not a good month for the Clippers. They went 6-5, which isn’t great for a team with championship aspirations. Additionally, this cold streak included a number of high-profile losses to potential playoff opponents. Can the Clippers get back on track in time for the playoffs?
The Clippers suffer a series of disappointing losses
Potential Clippers playoff issues
The 5 losses suffered by the Clippers in the month of February were all suffered by playoff/play-in teams. Perhaps the most high-profile loss was the February 12 loss on prime time television to the Minnesota T-Wolves. Both teams were at full strength without any major injuries. At the time, the T-Wolves were the #1 seed and the Clippers were the #3 seed, so it was considered a #1 seed. potential insight of a late-round playoff series. Unfortunately, the Clippers looked outclassed throughout the game. The three main stars of the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, James HardenAnd Paul Georges, were limited to less than 20 points. It seemed like 3x DPOY Rudy Gobert they just had their number and they couldn’t score. The 121-100 loss was disappointing, but not worrying in itself
10 days later, on February 22, the Clippers, then the No. 3 seed, faced the No. 2 seed Thunder. Once again, both teams were at full strength and the Clippers just weren’t good enough. Thunder Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, while no one on the Clippers scored more than 20 points. The Clippers were seemingly outplayed throughout the game. The 129-107 loss only further fueled fans’ fears of a season in decline.
The most worrying real loss came in a symbolically important game against the Clippers’ cross-arena rivals, the LA Lakers, on February 28. The Clippers led for 3 quarters and seemed to have the game in the bag. Then, the Lakers achieve a 39-16 4th quarter and the Clippers collapse. Even without George, it was a winnable game and the Clippers snuffed it out. This match also made the Clippers miss the “Phil Jackson Pretender Rule“, or 40 victories before 20 defeats, since losing this match put the Clippers at 37-20. Whether this rule is real or not, this defeat bodes ill for the Clippers.
Potential causes of the Clippers’ woes
The first main cause is that franchise star George is suffering from an injury. He’s been in and out of the lineup, missing games like the aforementioned Lakers game. The injury was diagnosed Due to meniscus irritation, George has already said he expects to miss at least one end of the March 2-3 back-to-back against the T-Wolves and Bucks.
Beyond George, key bench leader Russell Westbrook Also had a fracture in his left hand in a March 1 victory over the Washington Wizards. Clippers come out center Ivica Zubac also struggled with a lingering illness. The Clippers have been dealing with injuries that have blunted the once dominant Clippers lineup. The remaining uninjured players must step in.
2 years ago, Leonard was injured during the first round of the playoffs, causing George and the former Clipper to star. Reggie “Big Government” Jackson need to intensify their efforts. They did so successfully, carrying the Clippers to their first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history. Now Leonard must return the favor and keep the Clippers afloat while George deals with his knee injury.
The final cause was the coach’s bizarre choices Ty Lue. PJ Tucker recorded zero minutes throughout the first half of the season, during which the Clippers had incredible success. After the All-Star break, Tucker saw his playing time significantly increased, which went very poorly. Tucker was once a very good player, but at 38 years old and in his 18th NBA season, he is a liability on the court and Lue needs to stop giving him so many minutes.
Final word on the Clippers’ playoff chances
The Clippers were red-hot for most of the season before the All-Star break, but recently seemed to come back down to earth amid injuries and questionable roster decisions. However, the season is not over. The Clippers are still the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a 38-20 record. They can recover from this cold streak and solidify themselves as championship contenders heading into the playoffs. However, players like Leonard, Daniel TheisAnd Mason Plumlée must step up their efforts in the face of injuries to their teammates. The Clippers faithful have been hungry for a championship for nearly 70 years. This could be the year if the Clippers can bounce back before the playoffs.
