The Los Angeles Clippers are back in the win column after some tough losses. What can the LA Clippers do to keep up in the West standings? After losing three straight games last week, it has been a really great week for the Clippers. The Clippers have won their last three and will take on the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. The consistency for LA has been a bit of a question mark throughout this season. However, the leadership from James Harden, the impact of Ivica Zubac, and incredible play from Norman Powell has brought the Clippers to where they are. Head coach Tyronn Lue has done some critical coaching to start the season as well.
Can LA Clippers Stay Consistent in West Standings?
It began with a win against the Utah Jazz to get back into the win column, where Harden moved into second all-time in three pointers. A statement win occurred the following night against the best in the West, the Golden State Warriors. It was a game where Harden matched up against the all-time leader in threes, and 2009 draft counterpart in Stephen Curry. The Clippers would handle business against the Orlando Magic without their young star Paolo Banchero. They have done so without Powell has missed the last two games with a strained left hamstring. That has not stopped the Clippers from executing at a high level and winning with help on both sides of the ball.
UNO
GAME BALL
Well deserved game ball for James Harden for 2nd most threes in @NBAHistory! pic.twitter.com/zzPvrPpJOq
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 18, 2024
Where Are the Clippers in the Western Conference Picture?
As it stands in the Western Conference standings, only three teams are below .500 this season. The Clippers are currently sitting seventh in the West at 9-7. The Clippers’ crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers have had a better start than some expected, while the Warriors stay at the top of the Western Conference mountain.
If we were to look at the current playoff picture, it’s a very tight race around the play-in spots. Only a one-game difference separates the 12th-seeded San Antonio Spurs and sixth-seeded Suns. The Clippers have shown signs of being a playoff team this year, but being consistent has to be the goal as the season plays out.
As for the NBA Cup, it doesn’t seem to look that promising for the Los Angeles Clippers. After going 1-3 in last year’s tournament, the hope was a new slate of games would help Lue’s squad. It has already gone off to a poor start against the Rockets in a 21-point loss. LA can only look up from here, as they take on the Kings in the Intuit Dome’s first tournament game. Surely with a couple of NBA Cup wins, the confidence will set in for the Clippers moving forward.
A Tale of Two Seasons
Overall, the Los Angeles Clippers are hitting a positive stride in the right direction. At this point last year in the season, LA was 6-7 through 13 games, including a six game losing streak and losing seven of its first ten games. This was also a team that still had Paul George and Kawhi Leonard actively playing in the starting lineup. While George is now playing across the country, and Leonard is still sidelined with a right knee injury, it’s a whole new ball game for Lue’s Clippers. Seemingly working with less, they have produced more of an established identity, instead of relying on star talent to contribute.
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