The Los Angeles Clippers have lost four of their last five games. Their performances have been disjointed, especially on the defensive end. On Sunday, they lost to the Atlanta Hawks, leading Paul George to urge his team to find an identity before the playoffs begin.
“I mean that’s what we’re appearing to look like, which is not good,” George said. “We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity. I’ve always spoken about having an identity and I think it’s extremely important. Right now, I don’t think we have an identity.”
Ty Lue’s team currently sits fourth in the Western Conference. On paper, they have enough talent to be a genuine threat to make the NBA Finals. Their roster is comprised of multiple future Hall of Fame talents. However, the aging core is failing to reach its lofty standards. There’s a risk of the L.A. roster imploding if they don’t turn things around.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen what the Clippers can look like when they are at their best. They have the wing defenders, perimeter scoring and bench firepower to be a serious threat.
Yet, the key to their season is keeping their egos in check. That’s where having an identity comes in handy. When a team knows how they want to play, they execute with selflessness, knowing it’s a means to an end.
We’re not seeing that type of identity from the Clippers right now. However, we did see it earlier in the season. Lue has coached star-driven teams before and managed to lead them to a championship. He’s experienced in navigating tough situations with the media’s watchful eye hovering overhead.
Lue’s team is going through a rough patch. They’re undoubtedly going to figure it out. The key will be how quickly they can do so. Every loss right now is another blow to the team chemistry and the belief within the locker room.
The clock is ticking. Either the Clippers start building an identity now, or they can talk about how things went wrong when they get eliminated from the playoffs.
