NBA Power Rankings week 10: OKC Thunder vault up ladder
Los Angeles Clippers. 6. team. 77. . 23-11. Previous: 6th
LA Clippers:
Offense: (111.0) 7th
Defense: (104.7) 7th
Net: (plus +6.3) 5th
Games Week 10 (1-1): Won vs Lakers: 111-106, Lost to Jazz 120-107
Games Week 11 (4 games): Tues at Kings | Thurs vs Pistons | Sat vs Grizzlies | Sun vs Knicks
The Clippers hold a solid record sitting third in the West and once again took the LA matchup on Christmas Day. How accurate that win was is questionable given both LeBron James and Anthony Davis entered the match banged up.
More concerning was the Clippers enter week 11 having lost four of their last seven games. It’s not something they can’t iron out but there are definite signs of issues on the court.
To this point in the season, Kawhi Leonard has sat nine times and LA has lost five of those matches. The Raptors played 22 games without the Leonard in the mix predominantly on the second night of back to back sets and lost five ALL SEASON.
You can’t use the argument the games were easier because Kawhi’s tendency in LA is to play on the second game of back to back sets which is the harder match given fatigue.
More concerning is even with Paul George in the lineup they are losing to teams like the Bulls and the Thunder – both squads theoretically they are still deeper than even without Leonard in the mix.
Leonard was adamant the Clippers add Paul George and thought he was joining a club with depth equal to or greater than what Toronto had.
The current injury situation in Toronto would be the equivalent to LAC playing without Kawhi, one of Ivica Zubac or Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams and Landry Shamet (Raptors 3-point sniper Matt Thomas). And yet, as the teams enter week 11 the Raptors have a better overall record despite missing a minimum of one starter (usually two) in every game since Game 7 of this season.
Fortunately, the Clippers get a menu of four sub .500 clubs this week and play one seeded team in their next nine matches. That luck of scheduling should afford Doc time to figure out the issues plaguing his team.