The Western Conference is still brimming with excitement as we near the final stretch of the regular season. There is a tight race at the top for the No. 1 seed and a tense, desperate battle to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament in the back half of the standings. Amid all the chaos and shuffling, the Los Angeles Clippers (42-25) are starting to fade back into the background a bit.
Once the hottest team in the NBA and a trendy pick to win the West, LA has now cooled off considerably. Injuries and inconsistent play have seemingly ended this group’s hopes of securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. In fact, the Clippers might not even be in the top four when the postseason starts.
A puzzling, straightforward defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday only compounds the fears fans may have about them right now. Kawhi Leonard started off red hot after scoring 17 points in the first quarter (finished with 28), but the team was held in check the rest of the way. The defense also apart, as the Hawks shot 50 percent from 3-point range (17-of-34).
Before this troubling 110-93 home loss, which is the Clippers’ fourth in its last five games, they received a vote of confidence from five-time All-Star John Wall. The 33-year-old played with Los Angeles last season and thinks it can’t be counted out for a couple reasons. Though, one in particular really sticks out.
Why Ty Lue could be the X-factor for Clippers
“I think they have a chance {to win title this year},” Wall told The OGs Show, via ClutchPoints. “Ty Lue is a hell of a coach. I love playing for him, he’s a great guy. Nothing but high respect for him.”
Lue continues to be among the most respected coaches in the league, showing an adeptness to handle multiple star players since he helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win a championship in 2016. But is his ability to overcome injuries to those high-end talents that makes him one of the best in the NBA today.
Although he has not been able to put everything together in LA to this point, Lue’s presence on the sidelines gives Clippers fans reason to believe this squad can regain momentum in time for the playoffs. Back-to-back games against the Portland Trail Blazers could be the first step towards doing just that.
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