The Los Angeles Clippers entered the 2022-23 season with high hopes especially with the team set to welcome franchise cornerstone Kawhi Leonard back from the ACL injury he suffered during the 2021 postseason. However, Leonard has only suited up in two games (coming off the bench both times) due to persistent knee stiffness, and the Clippers just haven't found their rhythm in the early goings as a result.
To make matters worse, The Klaw does not have a timetable for return, clouding the Clippers' season in much doubt.
Thus, the rest of the Clippers have to step up, especially Paul George, who's proven capable of stepping up as the team's alpha dog with Leonard out. Through 10 games, George has carried the Clippers on his back, averaging 25 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.6 dimes as the undisputed first option. On the season, PG13 has already scored over 30 points four times, including a 40-point explosion against the Sacramento Kings in the second game of the new campaign.
However, in spite of George's best efforts, the Clippers have only posted an okay 6-5 record. Knowing their lofty ambitions, the Clippers expect themselves to play at a much better level as the season progresses. However, the Clippers will have to fix this pressing issue if they are to make good on their promise of being legitimate title contenders.
Biggest Early Problem Clippers Must Fix: Offensive Production
The Kawhi Leonard-Paul George iteration of the Clippers have never had any troubles putting the ball into the hoop despite the lack of a traditional playmaker in the mold of perhaps a Chris Paul. In their first two seasons since shocking the NBA world with their package deal move in July 2019, the Clippers have ranked third and second in offensive efficiency, thanks to the array of weapons beyond their ballyhooed wing duo.
In particular, the Clippers shot lights out from beyond the arc during the 2020-21 season; they led the league with an insane cumulative three-point percentage of 41.1 percent (14.3/34.7 per game), and they only trailed the Brooklyn Nets who still had the star-studded big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, in overall offensive production per 100 possessions.
However, with Leonard out for the entirety of last season and George injured for a chunk of it, the Clippers' offense ranked in the bottom-10 of the NBA, especially after their three-point shooting regressed. And it seems as if their marksmanship has continued to decline, as their offensive rating has cratered all the way to 29th in the early goings.
Only the Los Angeles Lakers have been worse than the Clippers offensively, a concerning sign, especially with the Lakers' well-documented struggles from deep. And in particular, Reggie Jackson and Norman Powell have been ice-cold to begin the year.
Powell, acquired by the Clippers along with Robert Covington before the 2022 trade deadline, is averaging a mere 11.0 points per game, a far cry from the 19 a night he put up last season, and his shooting percentages are down across the board. Meanwhile, the man affectionately known by Clippers fans as “Big Government” hasn't been able to bail out his team thus far, scuffling to the tune of 10.1 points per game on 29 percent shooting from deep. Moreover, John Wall is taking too many shots (3.5 attempts) for someone shooting a mere 21.4 percent from long range.
Another point of concern for the Clippers is their propensity to turn the ball over, ranking as the third-worst team in the league in taking care of the basketball. Simply put, the Clippers rely too much on their jump shots going down to get any semblance of rhythm going on offense, as they fail to compensate for it in other areas, being the worst offensive rebounding team in the league and being bottom-five in free-throw rate.
At the end of the day, Kawhi Leonard's health will be what matters the most to the Clippers. The Clippers have proven that their offense can be elite when The Klaw is firing on all cylinders. Tyronn Lue is an excellent head coach as well, and fans will be able to count on him to maximize the immense talent present in the current roster. But with the lack of clarity as to when their superstar forward can return, the Clippers, led by Paul George, will simply need to be on point with their jump shots as they look to hold the fort amid Leonard's absence.
Follow Us
Subscribe