The Clippers have misplaced three consecutive video games, are 2-3 within the uber-competitive Western Conference and haven’t had star ahead Kawhi Leonard for the final two video games due to knee points that depart his enjoying standing unsure.
Yet Clippers coach Tyronn Lue needed to make one factor clear regardless of their early season struggles.
“Sky is not falling, or nothing like that,” Lue mentioned.
Indeed, the Clippers have 77 video games left to play within the common season to proper the ship, beginning with Sunday afternoon’s sport towards the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena.
As far as Leonard, who missed the last two games at Oklahoma City due to tightness in his proper knee, the Clippers have listed him as out for the sport due to damage administration. Forward Robert Covington is uncertain due to sickness.
Lue spoke to the media earlier than observe began, saying that they needed Leonard, who watched the sport in Oklahoma City on Tuesday earlier than he returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday to “just continue to do his rehab.”
“We don’t know if he is playing or not tomorrow yet either,” Lue mentioned. “But I don’t think so [for practice] today.”
The good news for the Clippers got here when Lue mentioned “yes” when requested if ahead Marcus Morris Sr. could be obtainable for Sunday’s sport. Morris, who missed the final two video games due to a loss of life in his household, was at observe.
He’s third on the group in scoring, averaging 15 factors per sport on 63.3% taking pictures, 44.4% on threes. The Clippers might use his offense, contemplating they’re ranked twenty ninth within the NBA in scoring (102.6 factors per sport).
The sluggish begin for a Clippers group with championship aspirations made the reporters ask Lue what the message has been to his group.
“My message is just play the right way, create good habits,” Lue mentioned. “You are not going to win every game, but we got to play better and we understand that. But my biggest thing is just creating good habits. If we do it on both sides of the basketball, we will be fine.
“Defensively, shrink when we are supposed to shrink. Box out when you are supposed to box out. Help when you are supposed to help. Offensively, take your open shots. If you don’t have it, get into the paint and make the right play. I thought we did that last game. I know it’s early in the season, but we just want to create good habits. I know we will be able to win games, but our habits are the most important thing right now.”
The Clippers try to cope with a balancing act — making an attempt to be affected person whereas displaying a way of urgency with so many video games nonetheless left to play.
“I think it’s a little bit of both. Yeah, it’s both,” Luke Kennard mentioned. “Obviously, we want to win and every game is important for us. We want to be a high seed in the West at the end of the regular season.
“So, I think if we have that sense of urgency right now, taking it one game at a time, it’s going to help us with that. But at the same time, like I said, with guys kind of being in and out, you still have to be patient and just trust in what we’re doing and what we’re kind of building here. So, yeah, just taking it one day at a time. So, being patient, but also having that sense of urgency every time we step on the floor.”
UP NEXT
VS. NEW ORLEANS
When: Noon, Sunday
On the air: TV: Bally Sports SoCal; Radio: 570.
Update: Offensively, the Clippers are struggling. They are ranked twenty sixth in three-point taking pictures (32.4%), twenty ninth in assists (20.0) and thirtieth in turnovers (17.2). Defensively, the Clippers have been fairly stable. They are giving up 108.8 factors per sport, the sixth-best mark within the league, and are holding groups to 43% taking pictures, the third-best mark.
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