The LA Clippers started off the NBA's trade deadline season this year when they made the shocking move to trade away franchise cornerstone Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, and a first round pick. The move was made as a way for the Clippers to build for a better long-term future while also being able to compete immediately. Following the wave of emotions and immediate criticism that came with the deal, it became clear that LA won the trade for Griffin, but what transpires from here on out remains unknown. As of right now, however, the Clippers seem to have found a nice groove as they look to incorporate the new guys and adjust to everyone's play style.
Harris and Bradley made their debuts last weekend against the Chicago Bulls, and the Clippers have won four-out-of-five games since that home matchup. Excluding the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on the second night of a back-to-back following the emotional game against former Clipper Blake Griffin, LA's four victories have come by an average of 12.5 points per game. It's helped that their opponents have been expected to be in the lottery in a couple months, but meshing with new teammates coming off injuries or from trades is no easy task by any means.
Following the Clippers' latest victory, this one over the Brooklyn Nets, guard Austin Rivers said being unselfish over the next couple of months will be key to this new team figuring it out and getting into the postseason.
“I think it's been great man,” said Rivers about everyone getting involved offensively. “Guys have been super unselfish. I was talking to Avery during the game saying, ‘with this much scoring on our team now, everybody's numbers will drop a little bit,' and we have to be willing to sacrifice that to make the playoffs. Sometimes guys get caught up in their numbers because they want to get paid or stuff like that. I get it, but when you win all that stuff comes. When you become a good team, people want you. Everybody has to sacrifice something. Everybody's with that.
“Tonight was his (Lou Williams') night. It might be that guy's night the next night, it might be another's after. You've just got to win games. When you have multiple scoring threats, it's going to be someone's game every other night.”
The trade for Harris and Bradley also coincided with Danilo Gallinari's first game back in over a month from a tear in his glute muscle. A few games after that, Austin Rivers returned from his month-long absence due to a right ankle/heel injury. All things considered, the Clippers core (minus Patrick Beverley) has fared well in their first week together.
“I am surprised,” Rivers admitted about how fast the team has gelled. “I thought it was going to be an adjustment, especially when they started those guys right away. I said ‘man, this is going to be an adjustment,' and I think we've just been playing so hard that we've been able to figure it out. We're just playing off one another.
“That dual threat of Gallo and Tobias out there, both big guys who can score in the midrange and stretch the floor with me and Lou attacking. Then you've got Avery slashing around, defending, can put it on the floor a little bit, and then you've got DJ.it's really just a neat dynamic with out team. I think a lot of people slept on us when we got all these players, but I think we're getting better and better.”
Over the last five games, Danilo Gallinari is averaging 21.2 points per game, Lou Williams 21 points, Tobias Harris 16.4 points, Austin Rivers at 14.3 points, and Montrezl Harrell 11.8 points, with both Avery Bradley as well as DeAndre Jordan a shade under 10 points per game as well.
The Clippers can only go up from here as they try to learn how to best play off one another. Their final game prior to the All-Star break will be against the struggling Boston Celtics, and the team will then be afforded a week of rest as well as a couple of practice days before the playoff push begins.
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Guard Jawun Evans is currently out with an abdominal and groin strain. The injury has held him out for multiple weeks, and the Clippers will likely provide an update on his status following the All-Star break. Prior to the current road trip, Evans was limited to some work on the stationary bike.
Guard Tyrone Wallace has used 21 of his allotted 25 days in the NBA with the Clippers.
Guard C.J. Williams, who had been nursing an ankle sprain, returned to game action in the G-League earlier this week and has used 43 of his allotted 45 days.
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