The Los Angeles Clippers Are Finally Playing Like Everyone Expected

4 days ago 1

The Los Angeles Clippers were supposed to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference this season, and after stumbling out of the gate to a brutal 6-21 start, it looked like even that projection was overly optimistic.

But something has shifted in Inglewood over the past two weeks, and the team that looked lost in November is suddenly finding its footing.

Monday's 103-102 victory over the Golden State Warriors marked the Clippers' seventh win in their last eight games, pushing their record to 13-22 and from 13th to 11th in the Western Conference standings.

It's not where they want to be, but it's a far cry from where they were, and more importantly, it's a sign that this roster can compete when everything clicks.

The turnaround starts and ends with Kawhi Leonard.

The two-time Finals MVP has been playing at a level that reminds everyone why he's still considered one of the best two-way players in basketball history when healthy.

During this stretch, Leonard has averaged 39 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting an absurd 62.5 percent from the field.

Leonard dropped a career-high 55 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons on December 29, then followed that up with 45 against the Utah Jazz on New Year's Day, pouring in 20 points in the fourth quarter alone to seal the victory.

That performance made him just the second player in NBA history to average at least 40 points per game over a five-game span while shooting 50/40/90 and going undefeated.

The only other player to accomplish that feat? Kobe Bryant.

Against the Warriors on Monday, Leonard was more of a complete player than a pure scorer, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal in 38 minutes as the Clippers held on for the one-point win.

The defense has been the other major story of this turnaround.

When the Clippers lost at Boston back on November 16, they were in the middle of a 2-14 stretch that had them looking like one of the worst teams in the league.

The effort wasn't there, the communication was lacking, and opponents were getting whatever they wanted.

That's changed dramatically. During this seven-win stretch, the Clippers have been locked in on that end of the floor, holding opponents to lower scoring outputs while forcing turnovers and contesting shots at a rate that simply wasn't happening earlier in the season.

Perhaps the most exciting development of this recent run has been the emergence of the young players. Kobe Sanders, the second-round pick out of Nevada, has been a steady presence off the bench all season, averaging 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

But Monday night against the Warriors, he showed what he's truly capable of.

With James Harden scratched late due to a shoulder issue, Sanders stepped into the starting lineup and responded with a career-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting along with seven rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes of action.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser, the first-round pick from Penn State and Switzerland, has also impressed with his defensive versatility and willingness to do the dirty work that wins games.

The 6-foot-11 center contributed 16 points and six rebounds in the blowout win over Sacramento, then added six points and 10 rebounds with two blocks against Utah.

His ability to protect the rim and finish around the basket has given the Clippers legitimate depth behind Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez.

None of this means the Clippers are suddenly a title contender.

One good stretch doesn't erase the damage of a 6-21 start, and the schedule doesn't get any easier with a trip to New York on Wednesday to face the Knicks. But this team has proven over the past two weeks that they can compete with anyone when they play the right way.

Kawhi is healthy and playing at an MVP level, the defense is finally clicking, and the young players are stepping up when their number is called.

If the Clippers can sustain this momentum and build on what they've accomplished, they could become a dangerous team that nobody wants to face when the playoffs arrive.

After the way this season started, that's more than anyone could have reasonably expected.

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