The Los Angeles Clippers have cooled off a bit after their red-hot start. Instead of playing at the lights out level they were playing at the beginning of the season, the Clippers’ wave of great play, outside of the team’s 105-104 road win against the Utah Jazz, have subsided to lukewarm. Last month, the Clippers were on a unstoppable mission winning seven straight games. But lately they’ve found themselves in a slight slump, just recently losing four games in a row.
There’s no need to hit the panic button just yet.
The Clippers have undeniable talent on their roster, so making a couple of adjustments will more than likely fix the problem. Turnovers are killing the Clippers vibe. You cannot turn the ball over and expect to win games easily. The more mistakes you create, the harder it’ll be to dig yourself out of a hole. The latest woes are more of a concern than a problem.
Billups update:
Guard Chauncey Billups has returned to the Clippers lineup after missing the first 14 games due to a torn left Achilles’ tendon. He’s making a comeback at the perfect time, and the Clippers can use his knack for the hitting the big shot and his on-court leadership . If he stays healthy, Billups will be a huge asset to the Clippers play book.
Leadership:
The Clippers have what every NBA team doesn’t have and that’s a roster full of veteran leadership, players who don’t have to be on the court to make a difference. Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups are the Clippers leaders. They have a loud voice in the locker room. Billups and Hill are guys the Clippers will rely on during these tough times. Both players bring plenty of leadership attributes. They’ll be there to mentor the younger players like Blake Griffin, De Andre Jordan, and Eric Bledsoe.
Getting back on track:
Don’t expect to see too much of a falloff in quality of play for long. The Clippers are too talented to continue to fall or sink heavily. They also have one of the best benches in the NBA. Expect to see this team go on a long winning streak soon. After the mini-slouch the Clippers have won two straight games. One thing about this team is they are focused. They’re playing with the mentality to win every game. Although, competing for tittle is still too early to predict, they still have plenty of time to figure things out.
Troubles on the road:
The Clippers are a very outstanding team at the Staples Center, but struggle on the road. After going 1-4 on the road, which was a test for the Clippers, the trip turned out to be a disappointment. The Clippers are good at holding down the fort at their Los Angeles playground, but when they hit the road-all the good things they do at home tend to unravel. They’ll need to improve in that area sooner than later. Consistency will be they key to the Clippers success at home and on the road.
Tamara is a graduate of Cal State Los Angeles where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. Tamara is passionate about covering sports. She has covered the NBA and Major League Baseball routinely for the past several years. A Southern California native, Tamara developed her skills as a sports journalist while working for various Los Angeles-based news publications.