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Kawhi Leonard did no longer mince words following the Los Angeles Clippers‘ 135-115 shellacking at the fingers of the Original Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Leonard suggested newshounds he’s “very concerned” about the team’s most neatly-liked originate, indicating his belief the Clippers catch lacked the consistency important to be a neatly suited championship contender:
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Kawhi Leonard acknowledged Clippers having efforts and inconsistency love this against Pels and Grizz has him “very concerned. While you happen to would truly like to catch a gamble at the relaxation, purchased to be fixed…nights where energy is no longer there. Or no longer it’s all about consistency…that is what makes a team sizable.”
By now, the Clippers would possibly perhaps perchance merely aloof’ve labored thru the rising peril which would possibly perhaps perchance perhaps be pure after signing two marquee free agents and then making a instructing exchange following an embarrassing postseason flameout. That’s what makes Los Angeles’ display notify even extra head-scratching.
Following a four-game successful shuffle in mid-February, L.A. has long gone 4-7. No longer all of those losses were blowouts, however the Clippers misplaced to the Utah Jazz by 18 on Feb. 17 and the Memphis Grizzlies by 28 on Feb. 25. Sunday became as soon as the worst of the bunch.
The Pelicans are better than their myth (17-22) signifies, however there’s no longer any excuse for permitting them to shoot 65.4 percent from the subject. The Clippers surrendered 36 aspects within the predominant quarter, and that arena the tone for a ineffective displaying on protection.
Closing twelve months, it became as soon as easy to downplay any drama within the abet of the scenes or flat performances within the assumption head coach Doc Rivers would fetch all people on the same page when the video games truly counted. Then the collapse took plot, and it changed into out all of those issues would possibly perhaps perchance perhaps no longer merely be waved away.
That’s no longer to inform the Clippers are going to skills the same raze consequence in all places all as soon as more this summer. Present head coach Tyronn Lue seen firsthand with the Cleveland Cavaliers how a team can advance together within the playoff crucible.
But you would possibly perhaps perchance perhaps perchance no longer blame fans who mediate they’re searching at a repeat of the 2019-20 season.
