The Clippers may not have had the strongest start to the NBA season, but right now things are only looking up for the often-forgotten Los Angeles team. They are six games over .500, fifth in the Western Conference playoff picture, and it seems the best is still yet to come.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
That was reinforced by their most recent contest, a blowout 118-89 win over the lackluster Trailblazers in Portland. Not only did the victory reinforce that the Clippers can beat bad teams, but it also showed something much bigger: they don’t need Kawhi Leonard to win games.
Los Angeles may not be a true championship contender without Leonard, but there was a lot of speculation that they would fall completely flat without him during the regular season. That simply hasn’t been true.
While he will certainly be a key piece come playoff time, Los Angeles’ latest victory is even more proof that the team can get by on their own.
Taking Care of Business
The Clippers have won four of their last six games, with all of their wins being rather easy victories. They beat the Hawks by almost 30, took down the Heat by 11, crushed the Nets 126-67, and then cruised against Portland.
Los Angeles got up early against the Trailblazers and never looked back. They led fourteen at half, then expanded their lead up until their eventual 29-point victory. It was a sound effort on both sides of the ball, and showed that the Clippers star-heavy style of play can work well.
Norman Powell put up 23 points, while James Harden recorded 19 points to go along with six assists. Both players continue to prop up the bench, who also had a solid outing throughout the night.
The team also won the rebounding battle 50-37, shot an incredibly efficient 56.4 percent from the floor, and made 43.5 percent of their threes. They held Portland to 26.5 percent from deep and 37.4 percent from the field as well.
Those stats reflect a strong team effort and continue to reinforce the very real narrative that Los Angeles could cruise into a playoff spot with their current roster. If that’s the case, it’s extremely good news for a team who has their best player still waiting in the wings.
The Powell Effect
Ever since losing Kawhi Leonard to a knee injury during the offseason, the Clippers have not been considered serious contenders. In fact, many thought their season was over before it began. However, they’re playing good basketball largely. That’s partly due to their strong defense and the high-level play of James Harden, but it’s largely thanks to Norman Powell.
While everyone expected Harden to lead the team in Leonard’s absence, Powell has been a bonafide all-star as well. The duo is a large reason Los Angeles is where they are, and why they’ve managed to stay afloat during Leonard’s recovery.
Even though the superstar is now back, he’s not anywhere close to 100 percent. He’s still on limited playing time, and clearly testing how his knee feels for NBA speed. He can move, cut, and jump without issue, but he doesn’t want to push it either.
That’s where Powell comes in. Games like the one against Portland show that he’s enough for the Clippers to stay competitive. He might not be enough for a ring down the line, but his current play could get the Clippers to the playoffs. Right now, that’s all they need.
A Cautious Return
If Los Angeles wants to make a deep run this year, they want Leonard to stay as healthy as possible. That means keeping him off the floor and letting him ease back. If he doesn’t feel great, or if he plays a lot one night, they’re going to let him rest.
Though he has a few games under his belt, he’s sat out some too (including the one against the Trailblazers). Even so, his impact is clear. In the four games he’s played, the Clippers are 3-1 and averaring 118 points a contest. Without him, they are averaging just 108.6.
That’s incredibly good news for a team who plans to lean on Leonard down the line. In the meantime, however, they need to make sure he only plays what he can handle.
“We pushed my minutes up,” Leonard explained after the Nets game. “So tonight, I was able to play 24 minutes. [Tyronn Lue] allowed me to bring the ball up and get us into the pact of the offense. I thought that helped.”
That slow integration is the current focus. Losing the guard to a future injury would derail all of the Clippers’ future plans and all but end their season. Leonard knows that, and also understands that it’s important to take time off no matter how much he wants to play.
“It felt good,” Leonard said of his knee “But like I said before, I’m taking my time.”
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