After the LA Clippers failed to respond and were routed Sunday night by a more aggressive and hungrier squad from New Orleans Pelicans, Kawhi Leonard said his team’s lack of consistency is “very concerning.”
The Clippers never led and were 33 points behind before falling 135-115 to the Up and Down Pelicans in New Orleans. While the Clippers were without Patrick Beverley (knee) and lost a second starter in Serge Ibaka for the second half due to tightness in the lower back, Leonard did not like what he saw.
The Clippers, a team expected to compete for a championship, have lost five of the past seven games. After starting season 21-8, the Clippers are only 4-7 since then.
“It’s very concerning,” said Leonard when asked about his concerns about the skidding.[If] we want to have a chance at everything, you have to be consistent. You know, that’s what the great teams do, they are consistent. They have their nights when, you know, the energy is not there. But it’s all about consistency, from teams to players to coaches. That’s what makes a team great, players great, coaches great. A consistency of being, wanting to win, and practicing much the same habits of winning. “
Clippers coach Ty Lue was just as angry as he has been this season after a defeat. The Clippers (25-15) allowed New Orleans (17-22) to score 36 points and shoot 14-for-21 in the first quarter to fall behind with 12. Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram teamed up to outdo the whole Clippers. team 25-24 in the first quarter.
“Teams are moving towards us and we have to resist more,” said Lue. “I’m not discouraged because we’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. We have to f — ing … sorry , we have to do it. “
The only other time the balanced Lue was so frustrated after a loss was when the Clippers were drilled by a more physical and aggressive Grizzlies team in Memphis in a 122-94 defeat on February 25. Not only did that loss mark the beginning of this current stretch of bad play, but the Clippers opened that game and this latest loss in New Orleans in the same way.
“That’s exactly what it felt like,” said Lue of the Memphis defeat. “That’s what our coaching staff was talking about. They were more physical than us, they were stronger than us, and you saw the results. We just have to get better.
“We have to be more physical, we have to have a defensive attitude at the start of every game, I don’t care, I don’t care who you play against.”
After that 28-point loss to the Grizzlies, the Clippers came back and beat Memphis by 20 in the next game. But the Clippers followed suit with three consecutive losses going into the All-Star break.
The Clippers seemed to be getting back on track by blowing out the Golden State Warriors 130-104 at home on Thursday. But then came Sunday night’s dismal effort without Beverley, which often gives the Clippers attitude and energy.
“If [Beverley is] here or not … everyone should do it, “Leonard said of bringing the energy.” I cannot rely on one person. ‘
The Clippers will play against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in Dallas on Monday for the first time since the Mavs destroyed 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 ready, we have to be prepared. And we need to get our stuff together, man. “