Takeaways For The LA Clippers After Falling Short In The NBA’s Wildest Game

The LA Clippers lost in heartbreaking fashion on Friday evening, falling to the Sacramento Kings in one of the wildest NBA games you will ever see.

In double overtime, the Kings escaped 176-175, entering the history books as the NBA’s second-highest scoring game on record. With 351 combined points, it was behind only the Nuggets and Pistons battle from Dec. 13, 1983, which featured 370 total points as Detroit took the 186-184 victory.

Through all of the chaos, the Clippers had plenty of storylines surrounding their team. It was their first game integrating Russell Westbrook, who signed a minimum contract with LA after receiving a buyout from the Utah Jazz.

After squandering a 14-point lead with 4:25 left in regulation, the Clippers slipped to fifth in the West after the loss. They have one more meeting with Sacramento, on Mar. 3, to determine a potential tiebreaker.

Taking a step back, let’s examine the biggest takeaways from the Clippers side. With only 20 games remaining, there’s a lot to discuss about the state of the team.

We’ll start with positivity and what the Clippers should consider the bright spots.

Kawhi Leonard is back to one of the best players in the world

If there was ever any doubt he’d return to the apex predator we knew before, or the wing who could make life miserable on any opponent, Leonard is putting those to rest. Realistically, he shouldn’t be this dominant or efficient on the floor during his first year back from ACL surgery.

It goes to show how maniacal and effective his training regimen was during the 15 months he was sidelined. As he’s mentioned before, players aren’t supposed to get back to their pre-injury production until the second season. By not rushing himself back during the 2021-22 campaign and taking the full offseason to work at his own pace, Leonard and the Clippers’ medical staff deserve credit for how spectacular he looks.

But even this level of superstar play has to be surprising to him. Since Jan. 8, he’s averaging 28.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.9 steals.

In those 18 games, he’s shooting 54.6% from two, 48.4% from three, and 92.7% at the foul line. That’s while playing 37 minutes per game during that stretch. Since the moment he came off his minutes restrictions, he’s been a completely different monster.

Friday was Leonard’s 12th career game with at least 40 points, as he torched the Kings for 44 points on 22 shot attempts – a ridiculous 89.3% true shooting.

Not enough is being made of his lethal three-point accuracy, either. Converting on nearly half of his long-range attempts over the last 18 games, Leonard is unequivocally having the most impressive shooting stretch of his career. The lift on his jumper looks like it did in June 2021 before the injury, and he’s making 49.2% of his mid-range attempts this season. All of the concerns about him not creating enough separation on his pull-ups are looking awfully silly.

As we highlighted at the end of January, the most underrated component of Leonard’s attack this year is that he’s not trying to do too much. His usage is still below 27%, the lowest its been since 2016 in San Antonio. He’s also turning the ball over at a career-low rate.

Clippers are embracing more threes

By setting a franchise record with 26 made three-pointers, the Clippers decided to lean into the ‘paint and spray’ approach that made them top-tier contenders in 2020 and 2021.

They attempted 45.9% of their attempts from beyond the arc, shooting 57.8% from deep and getting nearly 20 combined three-point tries from Leonard and George. Their shot quality was terrific, creating 21 corner threes to Sacramento’s nine. If you simulate Friday’s game 100 times and guarantee all of those factors, the Clippers are running away with a victory in at least 95 of those instances.

LA is tied for 10th this season in three-point attempt rate, generating 36.1% of their shots from downtown. Over their last three games, that has climbed up to 39% – still not where it needs to be for a team sporting this many elite spot-up threats, but the increase does signify Lue and the coaching staff encouraging more.

From the moment Leonard and George joined forces in 2019, you can argue there’s been no better duo at creating wide-open perimeter looks for teammates. When they engage in pick-and-roll, or hunt smaller defenders on switches, teams have a tendency to overreact and leave shooters open. It’s what allowed the Clippers to have the most efficient shooting season in NBA history in 2021, and why they feel confident a Finals appearance was in the cards if Kawhi didn’t get injured.

The Clippers are currently the NBA’s number one team in spot-up efficiency, scoring 1.14 points per possession. The problem is, they are league-average in total spot-up chances per game (26.1). If they want to inch closer to the Nuggets and Suns in championship equity, they need to keep leaning in.

There were some positive Russell Westbrook moments

If you had to grade Westbrook’s debut with the Clippers, it’s hard to land on anything outside of a C.

For every Westbrook crossover into a drive that resulted in Sacramento’s defense scrambling, there was a missed rotation on the other end. For every rebound that led to a transition attack (something the Clippers are welcoming), there was a moment he was a step slow on defense and allowed his man to score.

From start to finish, it was an average performance that illustrated the highest of highs in certain stretches, but also revealed why the Clippers didn’t need to bring him on board in the first place.

Above all else, his speed and intensity stood out. It couldn’t be denied how quickly the Clippers were creating shots — both in the halfcourt and in transition — with Westbrook on the floor. It was the primary reason the Clippers signed him. They knew he could spice up their game and create a little more havoc for a group that often played too slow. They currently rank 24th in average time-to-shot (12.3 seconds), and 24th in possessions per game (98.2).

The idea of adding a hyper-athletic guard to push the ball down the defense’s throat would make sense … if it was evident there wouldn’t be a trade-off in efficiency and ball security. As I mentioned after the Westbrook signing, the Clippers already had the league’s No. 2 offense over the last month of action, scoring 121.8 points per 100 possessions. During those 14 games, they also had the lowest turnover rate in the NBA. LA had an opportunity to utilize its trade deadline acquisitions and continue building chemistry together, but they elected to add another ingredient.

Friday’s shootout with Sacramento was the ultimate ‘best of both worlds’ scenario for the Clippers. Westbrook finished with 14 assists on 17 potential ones, as he found shooters along the perimeter and didn’t hesitate to make the right play. Before he joined the Clippers, Westbrook averaged 12.9 potential assists per game this season. So for him to already exceed that mark (and take just 13 shots in 39 minutes), it could be indicative of a guy that’s willing to be in the playmaker role for every minute he’s on the floor.

Some of his 14 assists were basic reads, hitting Leonard or George spotting up from one-pass away. Those still matter, of course.

What the Clippers will take away from this performance, though, is how intentional Westbrook was in his drive-and-kick possessions. Whether it was finding Plumlee on the roll or hitting Norman Powell in transition, guys were getting quality looks all game:

He created 37 points off his assists, exactly double his season average of 18.5 with the Lakers. Much like everyone has stated, if there is a team with the shooters to make it work for such a flawed player in Westbrook, it would be the Clippers.

Lue also went to some Spain pick-and-roll sets that Westbrook and George are familiar with from the Oklahoma City days. With a player as fast as Westbrook leading the charge, it will generate a three-point look for the backscreener (George or Powell) nearly every time.

Although Westbrook has been a poor finisher in the paint for the last couple years, defenses are still compromised when he gets two feet in the lane with a head of steam. Regardless of how bad a player’s numbers are at the rim, you’re still going to react to an NBA athlete applying pressure at the basket. A few times on Friday, we saw the Kings collapse multiple defenders in the paint, prepared to rotate out if a pass was made. As long as Westbrook can hold a respectable efficiency on his drives and layups, the Clippers will continue finding themselves open for catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Westbrook’s seven turnovers were a bit weird. Four of them were classified as bad-pass turnovers, but two really weren’t his fault: Morris got held on the first, preventing him from catching the ball after setting a screen. Plumlee dropped the second one after the pass hit him in the chest.

By my count, his other two were legitimately bad passes. He also was called for two moving screens, and dropped the ball out of bounds while dribbling.

Even with a nuanced breakdown and realizing the total number of turnovers doesn’t always tell the whole story, the Clippers knew what they were getting into. Westbrook had a 18.1% turnover percentage with the Lakers, and he leads the NBA in turnovers per 36 minutes. It was no secret that his volatility would supply both exciting and head-scratching moments.

When it comes to his cohesion with the Clippers’ screeners, it’s going to take some time before they are all on the same page. But that’s just the thing, which we’ll discuss soon — they have a limited window before the playoffs begin.

Mason Plumlee has been the backup big they’ve needed all year

It wasn’t surprising to see the Clippers go 72% of the regular season without a backup center, considering the front office made it clear during the summer they prioritized wing-heavy lineups, a faster tempo, and rotational flexibility. In theory, playing with only one true big man would allow them to experiment with more switchable lineups and be the most prepared team when the playoffs rolled around.

However, playing 59 games without a reliable backup big certainly had its ripple effects. The Clippers failed to gang-rebound, often giving teams second and third chances in the halfcourt. In the 1,268 minutes without starting center Ivica Zubac on the floor, LA’s defensive rebounding rate has dropped to 69.9%, which would rank 26th in the league. Compared to Zubac’s minutes, which yield a 76.4% collection rate on the defensive glass, the Clippers were bleeding extra possessions.

Ty Lue would compound the issue by playing too many three-guard lineups and not fully utilizing the bigger wings on his roster. Robert Covington’s playing time has been all over the place this season, even though he could provide the Clippers with better small-ball five minutes than Morris.

Acquiring Mason Plumlee from the Charlotte Hornets wasn’t a make-or-break move for their championship contender status, especially since teams largely downsize in the playoffs and lean into shooting. But at the same time, Plumlee has given them another option to survive these dog days in the regular season. With Zubac currently nursing a calf strain, having a veteran presence to step in and contribute on the glass, be an adequate playmaker on the short-roll, and simply use his body to free up LA’s best scorers with quality screens is something they’ve absolutely needed. As much as the Clippers liked 23-year-old Moses Brown, he didn’t show that he could be trusted in high-leverage moments.

Plumlee had a rough closing stretch against Sacramento, committing two turnovers in the matter of 30 seconds, but he still made a positive impact in his 25 minutes. He’s a respected big that doesn’t need scoring possessions — so far, he’s only taken eight total shots in 60 minutes — and the Clippers’ ball-handlers appreciate having another seven-footer that can bury guards on screens and generally makes excellent reads.

The defense continues to be a mess

Despite establishing a defensive identity in the early portion of the season, holding a top-five ranking on that end of the floor after two months, the Clippers have regressed significantly. Even with their two superstar wings healthy, containing dribble penetration has been a chore — one that, quite frankly, they haven’t tackled on a consistent basis since the calendar turned.

Since Jan. 1, the Clippers are 24th in defensive rating and surrendering 117.9 points per 100 possessions. That’s worse than Charlotte, New York, Sacramento, and Utah during that stretch. They are allowing opponents to shoot 41.8% on above-the-break threes since Jan. 1, the highest mark in the league. Additionally, teams are getting to the rim at a 34.1% rate (proportion of field goal attempts coming in the restricted area) and converting at a 68.4% clip. Not only is that a nasty combination of rim attempts and efficiency, but it goes hand-in-hand with their lack of three-point defense. It’s something the Clippers know well: More paint touches will yield high-quality looks from beyond the arc.

In the double overtime classic versus Sacramento, the Clippers allowed 68 total “drives” into the paint over 58 minutes. The Kings were 18-of-26 (69.2%) when they attempted a shot on those drives, and got to the line 24 times.

Since LA is a team that primarily switches everything outside of actions involving their center, it’s imperative they keep the ball in front and limit those line-drives to the basket. The benefit (and purpose) of switching is that it’s supposed to keep your defense out of rotation and bait opponents into tougher, isolation-style looks.

But when the Clippers deploy lineups involving Marcus Morris, teams are starting to pick on him more frequently. Once there’s a switch, quicker guards know they can beat Morris off the dribble and get to the rim. It’s either going to force help, or give them an opportunity to finish:

Morris is not the only one lacking defensive pressure, particularly on the ball. The Clippers are currently full of guards that haven’t exactly been perimeter stoppers in their careers, including Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook. If those two ever share the floor, which they did in stretches on Friday, LA is giving the opponent multiple options to attack.

Off the ball, there’s also just very little room for error when Westbrook and Powell are in the backcourt for critical possessions:

More on the unappealing defense from Friday …

Ivica Zubac’s importance was definitely highlighted

Perhaps the most alarming part of Friday’s loss was how easily the Kings feasted in the paint. While it does start with not containing the ball at the point of attack, Zubac being anchored in the paint has discouraged teams from getting all the way to the rim.

With Zubac’s superb drop-coverage defense — often enticing guards to pull up from the mid-range — the Clippers can trust their big man to protect the basket and make opponents think twice before testing him inside.

In the rare instances where he’s sidelined due to rest or injury, Lue’s defense is in severe trouble. The Kings took full advantage of his absence, getting to the rim 51 times in the double overtime thriller. Fifty one!

Sacramento shot 36-of-45 in the restricted area while drawing six shooting fouls. For context, it was more than double the Clippers’ total rim attempts (24).

Zubac suffered the calf strain last week against Phoenix, so the good news for the Clippers is that he already had a full week to rest and nurse the injury. Lue mentioned that Zubac is “day-to-day,” so it shouldn’t be a lengthy absence for the Clippers’ paint enforcer.

The Westbrook and Terance Mann conundrum

Once the Westbrook signing was announced, the possibility of Terance Mann losing his minutes was clear as day. It’s still puzzling to see it transpire, particularly after Clippers president Lawrence Frank said the team had “honest conversations” about Westbrook’s role and what they would expect him to contribute. Usually, that type of language is only presented if the player is being slotted into a backup role and not considered a closing option in clutch-time scenarios.

Mann was always going to be casualty when another guard was brought into the rotation. That’s just the reality of it, even if Lue doesn’t view him as the team’s point guard.

When you watch Mann share the floor with the Clippers’ starters, though, his impact jumps off the screen. He’s a 26-year-old athletic guard that can defend multiple positions, only has a 15.6% usage rate (very low), and has always provided the energy boost LA is searching for.

Mann has shot 60.1% from two this season, including 70.4% at the rim. Additionally, he has made 39.0% of his catch-and-shoot threes, which screams the exact type of player Kawhi and PG need to share the floor with.

In fact, before Friday’s game, the Kawhi-PG-Mann trio had logged 549 possessions together this year. They scored 129 points per 100 possessions in those minutes, which should be all the offensive production a team could ask for.

Yet, with Westbrook entering the fold, Mann was squeezed to just 17 minutes and 32 seconds of playing time on Friday. To make matters worse, none of Mann’s possessions on the floor came with Leonard and George in the lineup.

If this was the Westbrook of six years ago, this type of rotation would be fine. There would be no justification for having a fourth-year guard playing over him, or having Russ on the bench in those closing moments.

But we’re in 2023, and Mann’s value as a player is undeniably better.

He just came off his best game of the year before the All-Star break, scoring 26 points on 12 shot attempts, and getting countless defensive stops in a win over Phoenix.

Lue did acknowledge Friday after the game that Mann deserved more minutes, and that he’s going to have more chances to tinker with the lineups before settling on a consistent rotation.

But there are two dilemmas: They needlessly made it tougher on themselves by adding another guard to the mix, and there’s just not that many games left to experiment.

They are running out of time to figure it out

With the league flooding the Clippers’ schedule with so many back-to-backs from October to January, the team was already setting a record for most games played before the All-Star break (61).

After Friday’s loss, they are down to 20 games remaining — 12 at home, eight on the road.

No matter how you slice it, 20 games is a short runway before the postseason. Add in the element of swapping out three rotation players (Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, and John Wall) for three new faces that will get meaningful time (Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon, and Mason Plumlee), and it’s not the greatest situation for a coach.

Lue was already having a difficult time figuring out the proper rotations and allotment of minutes for all of his guards. Just when he and the Clippers found a bit of clarity before the All-Star break, they are now being introduced to new variables, a new style of play, and more tough choices to make.

LA has trotted out 473 different five-man combinations this season. That’s 156 more than Sacramento, 97 more than Denver, and 92 more than Memphis. There’s a reason those teams are higher in the standings. Continuity absolutely matters in the hunt for a top three seed.

The Clippers have four back-to-backs between now and the end of the season, meaning it could be four additional games Leonard will miss. We’ll see if the training staff continues to hold him out of back-to-backs given how healthy he’s looked. My guess would be they do everything they can to preserve him for the postseason.

Thus, you could be looking at 16 games with the full rotation intact after the Westbrook addition. If this is going to work and lead to a championship, it will require one of the best coaching efforts we’ve seen. But it would certainly be a wild story.