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On Tuesday evening, despite dressing only nine players, the injury-riddled L.A. Clippers were up seven points with 2:36 remaining in the fourth quarter against the bottom-feeding Orlando Magic. Then the wheels fell off.
Over the final two minutes, the Clippers produced more turnovers (four) than points (three) and missed several open looks in the final seconds to tie the game, eventually falling 103-96.
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The outcome was particularly deflating since it would’ve been L.A.’s seventh straight victory and a nice continuation of their impressive surge following the All-Star break. The loss was also a poor prelude to a very tough stretch of games, against some of the top contenders in the West— Nuggets, Lakers, Blazers and Suns—which could force the Clippers down in the standings.
But, right or wrong, there are some who still believe in the Clippers. Big time.
Top of the NBA Heap
In a Wednesday evening tweet, former player turned rabble-rousing analyst Kendrick Perkins listed the Clippers as top dog in his latest NBA power rankings.
Perkins, who gave no context or explanation for his decisions, ranked the Brooklyn Nets second behind the Clippers and the Utah Jazz third. But the one that ruffled the most feathers (at least according to Twitter comments) was the Lakers. Perkins, a Boston Celtic for eight seasons, put the defending champions at 10.
Obviously, Perkins butters his bread by giving controversial takes on everything NBA, and so this list, like any other list, should be taken with a grain of salt. That’s why they play the games, after all. But there is still reason to believe Perkins’ take could be the correct one after all is said and done.
The Clippers have been winning—and winning handily—despite not having some of their key players. When point guard Patrick Beverley (knee) and center Serge Ibaka (back) went down with injuries in mid-March, it was believed the Clippers could be in for some rough times. But since losing Beverley and Ibaka, L.A. has gone 7-2 with an average margin of victory in the double digits.
Further bolstering Perkins’ take, the hot streak has seen the emergence of second-year guard Terance Mann as a potent force off the bench (12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in the last eight games), and the injuries have given once-forgotten sharpshooter Luke Kennard a chance to prove he deserves more minutes regardless of circumstance. In the last six games, Kennard has averaged 12.0 points on 60.0% shooting from three in 21 minutes of floor time.
Mann and Kennard could prove highly valuable even after the Clippers return to full strength. When that will be, however, remains up in the air.
‘A Good Problem to Have’
In addition to Beverley and Ibaka being out, the Clippers will face off against the Denver Nuggets Thursday night without superstar Paul George. George is missing his third straight game with a sore foot, which doesn’t sound terrible, but there is worry that it could be the same foot on which George suffered a bone edema earlier in the season. The edema caused him to miss seven games in early February.
L.A. will also be without newly-acquired point guard Rajon Rondo. The 15-year veteran, whose real value is expected to come in the playoffs, has been struggling with a groin/adductor injury and hasn’t seen the floor since arriving in a trade from Atlanta a week ago.
The good news is, assuming everybody eventually comes back from their injuries, the Clippers will have a surplus of talent at their disposal. It’s a situation that already has head coach Tyrone Lue worried, but in a good way.
“I’ve been thinking about it, been putting a lot of lineups together on paper, but you never know till the guys get on the floor,” Lue told reporters Monday. “So it’s gonna be a process for us when we get everybody back healthy, but you know, I’ll say it’s a good problem to have.”
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