3 observations from the LA Clippers' opening 3 games of the 2021-22 NBA season
The LA Clippers started the season 1-2, losing to the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers will need to adapt after two seasons of being title contenders, with Kawhi Leonard looking to be out for the entire season with an ACL tear. Luckily they still have one All-Star in Paul George, who will need to put the team on his back at times.
When George and Leonard joined forces with the Clippers in the 2019 off-season, it felt like they could run the league. They have yet to reach the Finals, and it is unlikely that it will happen this season with Leonard out.
The team will need to adjust throughout the season, but some observations can be noticed through just the first three games.
#3 LA Clippers' key players starting slow
If the LA Clippers want to succeed this season, they will need to replace Leonard's production with the supporting cast. When Leonard tore his ACL in the playoffs, they did that with Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris stepping up. So far this season, these two players have started very slowly.
Jackson is fresh off an incredible shooting performance in the playoffs, shooting 41% from three on 7.5 attempts. His play in the playoffs earned him a new contract, paying him $22 million over two years. So far, Jackson is shooting 28% from three on 10.7 attempts. He will need to find his shooting form to help the Clippers secure a playoff spot.
Morris is in a similar boat to Jackson. In the playoffs last season, Morris shot 37% from three on 5.1 attempts, and in the regular-season shot 42% on 5.2 shots. He played a vital role in the LA Clippers' offense and has started this season shooting 27% on 5.5 attempts.
The Clippers will need their role players to do more this season, and so far, these two have not. It is a long season, so they can turn it around with just one hot week.
#2 Oddly, LA Clippers' stats are not that different from last season
With Leonard missing from the team, it would make sense that the team would see a massive drop in production on both sides of the court. Leonard averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season for the LA Clippers. On top of that, Leonard is one of the best defenders in the league.
Paul George showing his appreciation to Kawhi Leonardđź‘Ź https://t.co/ZGiLnTTE3C
Despite the loss of Leonard, the Clippers have stayed true to their season averages from last season. So far in the three games the Clippers have played, they have averaged 114.3 points while allowing 107 points per game. Last season they averaged almost the same thing, scoring 114 points and allowing 107.8 per game.
This might not be sustainable over the entire season, but it is something to keep track of. The LA Clippers still have a good team without Leonard, but it is hard to imagine that they won’t have an eventual statistical drop-off without their All-Star.
#1 LA Clippers' Paul George is playing like an MVP
Paul George will need to have a career year for the LA Clippers to prove that they belong in the title contention conversation. So far, George has done precisely that. In the first three games, George has avenged 28.7 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He is also shooting 52% from the field and 39% from three and adding four steals a game.
These stats could by taking advantage of the small sample size, but if this is how George is going to come out and play every night, he has a solid case to be the MVP. He will likely be the only All-Star on his team, and they should push for a playoff run when the season starts to settle in.
Paul George had 8 steals in 3 quarters during the Clippers 30-point beatdown on the Blazers
https://t.co/bvtyePQopv
George is doing precisely what the LA Clippers need him to do on both ends of the court. He has played incredibly well in just three games, but George has already proven he can do this on a sustainable level. In the 2018-19 season, he averaged 28 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals on his way to being voted third in MVP votes.
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