The Los Angeles Clippers were getting panned by critics left and right in the immediate aftermath of their trade for James Harden. They rocked the boat too much, analysts pointed out. But the Clippers have righted the ship in a major way. It may have taken some time, but Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George are now firing on all cylinders, with the team having won their 13th game in their last 15 tries on Wednesday night after securing a 131-122 win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Clippers came out of the gates strong, thanks to George, who may have had some added motivation thanks to his history with Devin Booker. All the Clippers had to do after taking a 15-point lead after the first quarter was to keep the Suns at bay, which they did.

However, the Clippers have been in this position in the past. For a veteran team that knows its title-winning window is closing, they are holding themselves to a higher standard, with Paul George contending that the team still has a lot of improvements to make if they were to achieve their ultimate goal.

“There’s still a ton of stuff we can get better at … this is a team that’s not content about where we’re at,” George said after the Clippers' win over the Suns, per Andrew Greif of LA Times.

One area, in particular, that the Clippers aim to clean up on is their transition defense. According to Greif, both Kawhi Leonard and James Harden emphasized the fact that the team is holding talks about how to improve this side of their game.

One of the “easiest” ways to prevent fastbreak points is to avoid turning the ball over. Against the Suns, the Clippers had 12 turnovers and they currently rank 13th-best in the association when it comes to limiting giveaways. For a veteran team, this will be crucial. Paul George and company can run, but with the members of their core being in their 30s, it may not be the best idea to put them in such a compromising spot on a nightly basis.

The Clippers have already righted the ship plenty of times this season, so they have now secured the benefit of the doubt when it comes to cleaning up this aspect of their game.