After LA Clippers did not respond and were defeated by a more aggressive and hungry New Orleans Pelicans team on Sunday night, Kawhi Leonard said his team’s lack of consistency was “very worrying”.
The Clippers never led and lost 33 points before dropping 135-115 to the Pelicans in New Orleans. While the Clippers were left without Patrick Beverley (knee) and lost a second title holder in Serge Ibaka in the second half due to the tightness in the lower back, Leonard did not like what he saw.
The Clippers, the team that is expected to play in the championship, have lost five of their last seven games. After starting the 21-8 season, the Clippers are only 4-7 since then.
“It is very worrying,” said Leonard when asked about his level of concern about the skid. “[If] we want to take a chance on anything, you have to be consistent. You know, this is what great teams do, they are consistent. They have their nights when, you know, the energy is not there. But it’s all about consistency, from teams to players and coaches. That’s what makes a great team, great players, great coaches. A consistency of being, wanting to win and practicing the same habits of winning. “
Clippers coach Ty Lue was just as angry as he was this season after a loss. The Clippers (25-15) allowed New Orleans (17-22) to score 36 points and shoot 14 out of 21 in the first quarter to fall behind by 12. Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram combined to beat all the Team 25 Clippers -24 in the first quarter.
“The teams are coming at us and we have to offer more resistance,” said Lue. “I’m not discouraged, because we show what we can do and we can play at a high level. But we have to do it every night. We can’t keep talking about it. We need to f — ing … sorry, we have to do this. “
The only other time that balanced Lue was frustrated after a loss was when the Clippers were coached by a more physical and aggressive team from the Grizzlies in Memphis during a 122-94 defeat on February 25. This defeat not only marked the start of this current stretch of bad game, but the Clippers opened that game and this latest loss in New Orleans in a similar way.
“That’s exactly what it looked like,” said Lue of the Memphis defeat. “That’s what our coaching staff was talking about. They were more physical than us, they were more resilient than us and you saw the results. We just have to be better.
“We have to be more physical, we have to have a defensive mentality at the beginning of each game, I don’t give a shit, I don’t care who you’re playing with.”
After losing 28 points to the Grizzlies, the Clippers recovered and beat Memphis by 20 in the next game. But the Clippers followed with three consecutive defeats at the All-Star break.
The Clippers appeared to be back to normal by eliminating the Golden State Warriors by 130-104 at home on Thursday. But then came the dark effort of Sunday night without Beverley, which often gives the Clippers an attitude and energy.
“If [Beverley is] here or not … everyone has to do this, “said Leonard about bringing in the energy.” I can’t count on one person. “
The Clippers will play Monday against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in Dallas for the first time since the Mavs destroyed them 124-73 in Los Angeles during the third game of the season.
“If we play like that again tomorrow, it could be another 50 point loss,” said a frustrated Lue. “So, we have to be ready, we have to be prepared. And we have to have our things together, man.”