LOS ANGELES – The L.A. Clippers might be the surprise of the first quarter of the 2018-19 NBA season, but center Marcin Gortat doesn't want anyone getting ahead of themselves.
The superstar-less Clippers have wins over the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers through their first 19 games of the season, a stretch which many thought would likely throw them into lottery contention. Instead, they've ran off a 13-6 record and have been the best team in the Western Conference, record-wise, since the day after Thanksgiving. Whether that continues is up to them, but Gortat knows it's far too early to get excited about anything at this stage of the season.
“We showed after the last 15-20 games that we can be a very good team, but we can't forget there's 60 more to go,” said Gortat prior to Tuesday's practice back in Playa Vista. “Let's not get excited. Stay focused, stay patient, and continue to work on everything we do. Hopefully we're going to stay healthy and hopefully we're going to continue to win.”
As it stands, the first seed and the 10th seed in the West are separated by just four games. One three-game losing streak would put a team out of the playoff picture. One five-game winning streak could elevate them just one or two spots, however. That's the nature of the Western Conference race, at least early on.
Prior to the season, Gortat acknowledged that it would take this team about 15-to-20 games to understand how good they can be. Now 19 games in, there is a better, but not clear, understanding of what the Clippers can legitimately do in the bloodbath of a Conference.
“It's too early to be excited. I've been in this league long enough to understand that. I've been on the teams that played well and 15-20 games in, we were thinking about which team we're going to play in the playoffs and from what position we're going to play. The next thing you know, you barely make the playoffs from an eighth spot. So you've got to slow down and calm down.”
Last week, the Clippers embarked on a three-game road trip to Brooklyn, Atlanta, and Washington to face the Nets, Hawks, and Wizards. The Clippers played with fire and dug themselves out of a hole against the Nets as well as the Hawks, but weren't able to close out against the Wizards. The 2-1 record on the trip wasn't bad, but it was eye-opening for the Clippers.
“We almost lost in Brooklyn, we almost lost in Atlanta, and then we finally lost in Washington…,” the Polish center said. “I think we understood that we can't do that. We can't have those moments where we play great and then we've got those moments where we turn off the switch, we are playing bad for five, six, seven minutes, the team is catching up on us or building a lead, and then we have to sweat in the fourth quarter to come back.
“I think we are getting better at that. I think we're playing 48 minutes on the offensive end, but for us, it's about switching on defensive end from the first minute and be very consistent defensively. We can be a very good team, but we have to do it for 48 minutes in a game.”
Gortat hasn't played more than 21 minutes in a game this season. He's averaged about 17 per, and even had a stretch with three consecutive DNP-CD's (Did not play – coach's decision). As he and the Clippers march on through the season, everyone has learned that their time will come, their name may not always be called, and that they will be held responsible for their mistakes.
A week ago, Montrezl Harrell says coach Doc Rivers ripped him at halftime for a very poor, first-half defensive effort. Against the Blazers, Rivers got into rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and challenged him to ‘man-up.'
Harrell's engagement with Rivers wasn't the first of the season for Clippers players and it likely won't be the last. Gortat respects the coaching staff's ability to get into players when they make mistakes, especially on a team like this one.
“Everything starts with chemistry. We really like each other here and that's the main key. There's a time where we can joke around and there's a time where coach can yell at us. Nobody takes anything personal, nobody takes anything seriously. If you deserve to be yelled at, that's how it is and I appreciate that and really respect that. So far, Doc's been great to me, I think he's been great to the team. Hopefully it's going to last for another 60 games in the season.”
The Clippers will look to continue building on their strong start to the season with a Wednesday night game against the struggling Phoenix Suns, one that some would call a bit of a trap-game.
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