Struggling Clippers get timely good news ahead of playoffs
The Clippers' season can be divided into three parts. The first, between Oct. 25 and Nov. 14, saw them go 3-7 out of the gate as they dealt with chemistry issues brought about by the James Harden trade.
Then, the Clippers went on an incredible 33-10 run between Nov. 17 and the All-Star break, decimating teams on a nightly basis with a top-5 offense and top-5 defense. During this run, Los Angeles was widely heralded as Denver's biggest threat in the Western Conference and a legitimate title contender.
Since the All-Star break, the Clippers have been a mediocre 8-8 team whose struggles were so glaring that Paul George questioned if they had lost their identity.
Many of those recent struggles can be attributed to the loss of Russell Westbrook, who suffered a fractured hand on March 2.
It appears the Clippers are about to get back on track again. On Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Westbrook is expected to rejoin the Clippers as early as Monday's game against the Pacers. He added that Westbrook's return will happen "well ahead of the initial timeline" as the former MVP was previously expected to miss the remainder of the regular season.
Clippers could use the energy and tenacity that Westbrook brings nightly. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Westbrook is the only player to average 10 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench since starters were first tracked in 1970-71 (minimum 50 games).
Furthermore, Westbrook's perimeter defense has been a huge plus for the Clippers all season. Per Second Spectrum, the former MVP has held opponents to 39.7 percent shooting as the contesting defender.
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