After the LA Clippers did not respond and were led by a more aggressive and starving New Orleans pelican team on Sunday night, Kawhi Leonard said his team’s lack of consistency was “very worrying.”
The Clippers never led and trailed by 33 points before falling 135-115 to the Pelicans up and down New Orleans. While the Clippers were without Patrick Beverley (knee) and lost a second starter in Serge Ibaka for the second half due to lumbar tension, Leonard did not like what he saw.
The Clippers, a team that is expected to fight for a championship, have lost five of their last seven games. After the start of the 21-8 season, the Clippers are only 4-7 since then.
“It’s very worrying,” Leonard said when asked what his level of concern was for skidding. “[If] we want to have a chance at anything, you have to be consistent. You know, that’s what great teams do, they’re consistent. They have nights when, you know, the energy isn’t there. But it’s about consistency, from teams to players to coaches. That makes a great team, great players, great coaches. A consistency to be, to want to win and to do about the same habits to win. “
Clippers coach Ty Lue has been as angry as he is this season after a loss. The Clippers (25-15) allowed New Orleans (17-22) to score 36 points and draw 14-for-21 in the first quarter to stay 12. Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram combined to beat the entire Clippers team 25-24 in the first quarter.
“The teams are moving towards us and we need to resist more,” Lue said. “I’m not discouraged, because I’ve shown what we can do and we can play at a high level. But we have to do it every night. We can’t keep talking about it. I have to f — ing … I’m sorry , we have to do it. “
The only other time Lue, with balance, was frustrated after a loss was when the Clippers were pushed by a more physical and aggressive Grizzlies in Memphis during a 122-94 loss on February 25th. This loss not only marked the beginning of this current series of poor play, but the Clippers opened that game and this last loss in New Orleans similarly.
“That’s exactly how it felt,” Lue said of the Memphis defeat. “That’s what our coaching staff was talking about. They were more physical than us, they were tougher than us and you saw the results. We just need to be better.
“We have to be more physical, we have to have a defensive mindset at the beginning of every game, I don’t give a damn, I don’t care who you play.”
After this 28-point loss to the Grizzlies, the Clippers came back and defeated Memphis by 20 in the next game. But the Clippers followed, with three straight losses going into the All-Star break.
The Clippers appeared to be back on track, blowing the Golden State Warriors 130-104 home Thursday. But then came the grim Sunday night effort without Beverley, who often gives the Clippers an attitude and energy.
“If [Beverley is] here or not … everyone has to do it, “Leonard said of bringing energy.” I can’t rely on one person. “
The Clippers will play Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in Dallas on Monday for the first time since the Mavs defeated them 124-73 in Los Angeles during the third game of the season.
“If we play like that again tomorrow, it could be another 50-point loss,” said a frustrated Lue. “So we have to be prepared, we have to be prepared. And we have to have our things together, man.”