Tyronn Lue wasn’t pleased with the performance his Clippers put up in a 107-121 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at home without Joel Embiid.
“They’re grown men. They understand, It’s not like we’re playing with second or third year players. I’m never the type of guy who wants to show a player up or show them that they’re making a mistake. I’d rather not do that,. that’s a story for you guys. They understand what the f—…They understand what they’re supposed to be doing. We just gotta do better all around the board.”
“They understand what the f—…They understand what they’re supposed to be doing.” pic.twitter.com/HuetHK2Rfr
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) March 24, 2024
This loss had major consequences for the Clippers. They were fighting for the No. 1 seed two weeks ago and are now just half a game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, who are looking to take the No. 4 seed from the Clippers.
The Clippers suffered a spell of injuries recently, with players such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden missing time. Russell Westbrook is currently injured but is expected to return soon.
They’re 10-11 in the last 21 games, a record that should have been unacceptable to a team expected to compete for a title this season.
The Clippers Lack Leadership And Identity
Even with a head coach like Tyronn Lue, the Clippers haven’t figured out internally who they want to be as a team. There are certain offensive and defensive philosophies, but their style of play isn’t consistent enough to warrant success in the modern NBA. Paul George basically admitted the team didn’t have an identity recently.
“I mean that’s what we’re appearing to look like, which is not good. We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity. I’ve always spoken about having an identity and I think it’s extremely important. Right now, I don’t think we have an identity.”
The multiple superstars on the roster have created a sort of leadership logjam where there isn’t one figure that players can look to as a ‘leader’. Russell Westbrook is often hailed as the team’s emotional leader, but that’s also because his poor levels of play mean he won’t be a threat to steal the role of Harden, Leonard, or George away from them.
The Clippers’ poor stretch of form is also a result of Westbrook’s current hand injury, as his absence has left a vacuum in the Clippers’ locker room. The LA-based franchise will be in danger until one of Leonard, George, or Harden steps up and finds a way to push their teammates back toward success.
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