K
King Freeman
Guest
Before the hiatus, the Clippers were playing their best basketball of the season. They went 7-2 out of the All-Star break, including a six-game win streak. After an inconsistent and injury-riddled season, they were healthy and jelling heading toward the playoffs.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic spread and the NBA shut down. The Clippers’ momentum was halted. The organization tried to remain proactive, sending personalized workout equipment to each player’s home. They coined the phrase “win the wait” and held multiple weekly workouts over Zoom. Leonard trained with George and Beverley in San Diego and Los Angeles.
As basketball’s return neared, it appeared the team would finally be whole. But the Orlando bubble was the perfect confluence of issues for the Clippers. They dealt with injuries and absences at inopportune times, and never rediscovered their rhythm.
Zubac and Landry Shamet tested positive for COVID-19. Morris Sr. and JaMychal Green arrived late for personal reasons. Harrell, Beverley and Williams each left the bubble due to the deaths of loved ones. Harrell missed a month. Williams attended the funeral of a family friend, stopping by the Magic City strip club for its famous chicken wings, only to be photographed and outed on social media by rapper Jack Harlow, leading to Williams being forced to quarantine for 10 days.
Once in the bubble, Beverley dealt with a strained left calf that caused him to miss five seeding games and five playoff games. George acknowledged dealing with anxiety and depression, which especially affected him in the Dallas series. Harrell was never again himself, looking physically compromised and less explosive as his numbers declined and the Clippers were outscored badly with him on the floor.
The constant turnover meant the Clippers never knew who was going to be available. While other teams were picking up from before the break, the Clippers were playing lineups and rotations they weren’t going to use in the postseason, all while some of their players struggled to regain their pre-hiatus form.
The bubble forced Clippers players to spend more time with one another, given their proximity and lack of alternative options to spend their time. Until Aug. 31, players didn’t have family or guests in the bubble. The Clippers were attempting to play catch-up chemistry-wise, and, at that point, they were too far behind other teams, league sources said.
But the same issues that the Clippers faced in the regular season transferred over to the bubble. Another point of contention was that certain players felt teammates were looking out for their contracts more than the team, league sources said. Earlier in the season, teammates had felt Harrell was looking out for his numbers because he was a pending free agent, and that belief continued into the bubble.
With higher stakes and pressure, there were several blow-ups between players, with George often at the center of the tension, with teammates citing a lack of accountability from him.
In the first-round series versus Dallas, Williams and George exchanged expletives amid a heated disagreement about accountability, league sources said. In the Denver series, George and Harrell got into a verbal spat during a timeout in Game 2, as Yahoo Sports first reported.
George’s comments to the media about the team still being in the “driver’s seat” after losing Game 6 to Denver didn’t go over well with his teammates, league sources said. It was made worse by George and Jackson openly sulking together in the locker room over their poor performances, which rubbed some teammates the wrong way throughout the playoffs.
During Game 7, several players felt George (10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 38 minutes) didn’t play with the type of effort or sense of urgency that matched his public comments.
“It looked like he was coasting the entire game,” one league source said. “He looked like he was floating.”
Afterward, his impassioned speech to his teammates about bouncing back and returning next season rang hollow, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sept. 21.
Rivers also failed to make proper adjustments, including playing Harrell fewer minutes and going with smaller, better-spaced lineups. His inability to counter in a timely manner in both the Dallas and Denver series was a significant factor in the Clippers demise.
The team’s Game 7 blowout loss confirmed to some around the Clippers that there was a front-runner quality to the team, in that they could trash-talk and jeer when they were ahead — like when Damian Lillard missed two free throws in a seeding game to cost the Trail Blazers — but that the team was hanging by a thread when it was behind, ready to crumble.
The Clippers hired Lue, in part, because of his ability to hold star players accountable. In Cleveland, he got their star triumvirate to buy into his messaging from Day 1. That entailed challenging James from the outset, as well as establishing a clear pecking order with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love behind James.
In Los Angeles, Lue will look to push Leonard and George to forgo certain requests or standards to set a better example for their teammates, league sources said. Additionally, he’ll establish a clearer internal hierarchy with the remaining role players, ensuring that players are on the same page and there is no confusion regarding roles and responsibilities. This is Leonard’s team, and Lue is going to let the locker room know that.
Kirby Lee / USA Today
At his introductory press conference in mid-October, Lue was grilled about the team’s chemistry and continuity concerns. He chalked up the issues as more due to circumstance — health, the bubble and several personal tragedies — than the team actually not getting along.
“I think we’re talking about chemistry and continuity, and it’s not more so off the court and guys not liking each other,” Lue said. “… When we talk about chemistry and continuity, it’s more so on the basketball court of just being familiar with guys and how guys like to receive the ball or where this guy is going to be on the floor. … I think that comes from being healthy and not having as many injuries.”
There is an element of truth to Lue’s sentiment.
Leonard and George only played together in 37 of the 72 regular-season games (51.4 percent of games), preventing the Clippers from gaining the reps they needed between their two best players. LA only had its top 10 rotation players healthy for 11 games. The Clippers tied the Warriors for the most starting lineups used, and were second behind the Bucks in total lineups used more than once.
Leonard and George were understandably focused on maintaining their health, with an eye toward a deep postseason run. But grinders like Williams, Harrell, Beverley and Green were focused on the present — playing hard every day, no matter the circumstance. There was a clear contrast between the approaches, league sources said.
In addition, some players grappled with their change in identity, as multiple players acknowledged to The Athletic throughout the season. They weren’t used to being the hunted instead of the hunters. The isolation nature of the new offense, particularly when Leonard was on the floor, also led to a diminished sense of joy with the team’s playing style.
“You’ve got a lot of parts,” Williams said after Game 7. “You go from last year, we were the team that wasn’t expected to make the playoffs, to going and being a championship-caliber team when you bring in two high-level guys. That’s an adjustment.
“Trez and I, we had to adjust our games. I think everybody had to sacrifice and put themselves in a different position and that type of thing takes time, especially when you’re doing it for years at a time.”
The Clippers’ free agency showed that the team and its players had some irreconcilable differences. The Clippers re-signed Morris, Jackson and Patterson, but watched as Harrell and Green — two key members of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 teams — left for contract dollars that the Clippers could have matched or surpassed.
The Clippers rebounded by signing Serge Ibaka, whose 3-and-D skill set, championship experience and public friendship with Leonard are positive additions to the locker room. His affable personality should serve as a connecting force between players. Aside from Ibaka’s arguably superior fit on the court, mixing up the team’s locker room dynamic could prove to be the change the Clippers need. LA also traded for Luke Kennard and signed Nicolas Batum to bolster the bench.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic spread and the NBA shut down. The Clippers’ momentum was halted. The organization tried to remain proactive, sending personalized workout equipment to each player’s home. They coined the phrase “win the wait” and held multiple weekly workouts over Zoom. Leonard trained with George and Beverley in San Diego and Los Angeles.
As basketball’s return neared, it appeared the team would finally be whole. But the Orlando bubble was the perfect confluence of issues for the Clippers. They dealt with injuries and absences at inopportune times, and never rediscovered their rhythm.
Zubac and Landry Shamet tested positive for COVID-19. Morris Sr. and JaMychal Green arrived late for personal reasons. Harrell, Beverley and Williams each left the bubble due to the deaths of loved ones. Harrell missed a month. Williams attended the funeral of a family friend, stopping by the Magic City strip club for its famous chicken wings, only to be photographed and outed on social media by rapper Jack Harlow, leading to Williams being forced to quarantine for 10 days.
Once in the bubble, Beverley dealt with a strained left calf that caused him to miss five seeding games and five playoff games. George acknowledged dealing with anxiety and depression, which especially affected him in the Dallas series. Harrell was never again himself, looking physically compromised and less explosive as his numbers declined and the Clippers were outscored badly with him on the floor.
The constant turnover meant the Clippers never knew who was going to be available. While other teams were picking up from before the break, the Clippers were playing lineups and rotations they weren’t going to use in the postseason, all while some of their players struggled to regain their pre-hiatus form.
The bubble forced Clippers players to spend more time with one another, given their proximity and lack of alternative options to spend their time. Until Aug. 31, players didn’t have family or guests in the bubble. The Clippers were attempting to play catch-up chemistry-wise, and, at that point, they were too far behind other teams, league sources said.
But the same issues that the Clippers faced in the regular season transferred over to the bubble. Another point of contention was that certain players felt teammates were looking out for their contracts more than the team, league sources said. Earlier in the season, teammates had felt Harrell was looking out for his numbers because he was a pending free agent, and that belief continued into the bubble.
With higher stakes and pressure, there were several blow-ups between players, with George often at the center of the tension, with teammates citing a lack of accountability from him.
In the first-round series versus Dallas, Williams and George exchanged expletives amid a heated disagreement about accountability, league sources said. In the Denver series, George and Harrell got into a verbal spat during a timeout in Game 2, as Yahoo Sports first reported.
George’s comments to the media about the team still being in the “driver’s seat” after losing Game 6 to Denver didn’t go over well with his teammates, league sources said. It was made worse by George and Jackson openly sulking together in the locker room over their poor performances, which rubbed some teammates the wrong way throughout the playoffs.
During Game 7, several players felt George (10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 38 minutes) didn’t play with the type of effort or sense of urgency that matched his public comments.
“It looked like he was coasting the entire game,” one league source said. “He looked like he was floating.”
Afterward, his impassioned speech to his teammates about bouncing back and returning next season rang hollow, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sept. 21.
Rivers also failed to make proper adjustments, including playing Harrell fewer minutes and going with smaller, better-spaced lineups. His inability to counter in a timely manner in both the Dallas and Denver series was a significant factor in the Clippers demise.
The team’s Game 7 blowout loss confirmed to some around the Clippers that there was a front-runner quality to the team, in that they could trash-talk and jeer when they were ahead — like when Damian Lillard missed two free throws in a seeding game to cost the Trail Blazers — but that the team was hanging by a thread when it was behind, ready to crumble.
The Clippers hired Lue, in part, because of his ability to hold star players accountable. In Cleveland, he got their star triumvirate to buy into his messaging from Day 1. That entailed challenging James from the outset, as well as establishing a clear pecking order with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love behind James.
In Los Angeles, Lue will look to push Leonard and George to forgo certain requests or standards to set a better example for their teammates, league sources said. Additionally, he’ll establish a clearer internal hierarchy with the remaining role players, ensuring that players are on the same page and there is no confusion regarding roles and responsibilities. This is Leonard’s team, and Lue is going to let the locker room know that.
Kirby Lee / USA Today
At his introductory press conference in mid-October, Lue was grilled about the team’s chemistry and continuity concerns. He chalked up the issues as more due to circumstance — health, the bubble and several personal tragedies — than the team actually not getting along.
“I think we’re talking about chemistry and continuity, and it’s not more so off the court and guys not liking each other,” Lue said. “… When we talk about chemistry and continuity, it’s more so on the basketball court of just being familiar with guys and how guys like to receive the ball or where this guy is going to be on the floor. … I think that comes from being healthy and not having as many injuries.”
There is an element of truth to Lue’s sentiment.
Leonard and George only played together in 37 of the 72 regular-season games (51.4 percent of games), preventing the Clippers from gaining the reps they needed between their two best players. LA only had its top 10 rotation players healthy for 11 games. The Clippers tied the Warriors for the most starting lineups used, and were second behind the Bucks in total lineups used more than once.
Leonard and George were understandably focused on maintaining their health, with an eye toward a deep postseason run. But grinders like Williams, Harrell, Beverley and Green were focused on the present — playing hard every day, no matter the circumstance. There was a clear contrast between the approaches, league sources said.
In addition, some players grappled with their change in identity, as multiple players acknowledged to The Athletic throughout the season. They weren’t used to being the hunted instead of the hunters. The isolation nature of the new offense, particularly when Leonard was on the floor, also led to a diminished sense of joy with the team’s playing style.
“You’ve got a lot of parts,” Williams said after Game 7. “You go from last year, we were the team that wasn’t expected to make the playoffs, to going and being a championship-caliber team when you bring in two high-level guys. That’s an adjustment.
“Trez and I, we had to adjust our games. I think everybody had to sacrifice and put themselves in a different position and that type of thing takes time, especially when you’re doing it for years at a time.”
The Clippers’ free agency showed that the team and its players had some irreconcilable differences. The Clippers re-signed Morris, Jackson and Patterson, but watched as Harrell and Green — two key members of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 teams — left for contract dollars that the Clippers could have matched or surpassed.
The Clippers rebounded by signing Serge Ibaka, whose 3-and-D skill set, championship experience and public friendship with Leonard are positive additions to the locker room. His affable personality should serve as a connecting force between players. Aside from Ibaka’s arguably superior fit on the court, mixing up the team’s locker room dynamic could prove to be the change the Clippers need. LA also traded for Luke Kennard and signed Nicolas Batum to bolster the bench.
