The Shorthanded LA Clippers Deserve Your Respect
The shorthanded LA Clippers just refuse to die. A team that's missed their two best players for almost the entire season, has overperformed and remained very competitive - yet no one is talking about them.
The narrative surrounding the LA Clippers for the majority of the season has been focused primarily around "when are Kawhi Leonard and Paul George coming back?" Instead of focusing and giving credit to a depleted roster that's managed to have both a winning record and be in an upper play-in spot, the majority of the conversation has been around when are their stars returning.
Truth be told, the Clippers legitimately don't know when Kawhi Leonard or Paul George are returning. Both of them are working towards a return, but there isn't a timetable for either player. As much as the organization likes to keep quiet and remain leakproof, this just isn't one of those situations. It's gotten to a point where Clippers head coach Ty Lue is fed up with the questions and wants more focus on his guys.
"I'm tired of hearing this shit," Ty Lue said. "When they're playing, I'll let y'all know. I'm tired of talking about them every day. We can't win a game, but we gotta talk about Kawhi and PG. Talk about the guys in the locker room that's fighting & clawing every single day."
It's fair to ask questions about when a team's two best players are returning, but for the most part, Ty Lue is right. Kawhi Leonard has played 0 games this season, Paul George has missed 42 games, and Norman Powell has only played 3 games. Despite that, the LA Clippers have the 2nd best clutch offense in the NBA. They've had 25 point comebacks, 24 point comebacks, and even a historic 35 point comeback. The entire season, the team has somehow miraculously found a way to just keep going. It's been a Cinderella run with tremendous camaraderie, but no one seems to be talking about it. No other team in the NBA is doing this.
The Nuggets are shorthanded but they have Jokic, the Mavericks are shorthanded but they have Luka Doncic. When the Nets were shorthanded, they went on a disastrous tailspin. Without their best players, the LA Clippers have a better record than the: Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Wizards - teams that have All-Stars and superstars.
When certain teams like the New York Knicks make the playoffs, it's seen as a big deal. The LA Clippers are in the middle of a winning season with over $94 million on the bench for the majority of the year. Regardless of whether Kawhi Leonard or Paul George return, the players who have managed to keep this team afloat deserve to be celebrated and deserve your respect.
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