The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Utah Jazz, 120-107, on Saturday night. In the wake of that defeat, head coach Doc Rivers provided an explanation of why his team may have looked a bit lethargic at times, citing that “about seven” players were under the weather with a sickness.
Doc said Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell were four of the "about seven" Clippers who were sick before the Utah game. The team canceled practices the past two days to let everyone rest and stay away from each other.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 31, 2019
Noting that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell were four of the names dealing with the sickness makes the situation all the more significant. Leonard and George combined to shoot 12-for-44 overall versus Utah, with Harrell being held out of his first contest of the season.
Despite any sickness that the quartet and their teammates may have been feeling Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, Doc Rivers and the Clippers rebounded for a 105-87 road victory. At 24-11 on the year, they currently hold the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
There could be no group of four players more significant to a team's title hopes around the league than Leonard, George, Williams and Harrell are to the Clippers'. In the team's first 35 games, those four has led the team in scoring — with Kawhi leading the way with his 25.6 points followed by George's 23.7 markers.
The Clippers will have to trudge through three games in four days beginning Thursday before getting a significant four-day break as a New Year's gift. Fortunately for them, they play just one road game over the next 17 days, which should allow the team to receive additional treatment for any maladies still effecting them.
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