The Los Angeles Clippers are the most in-form team in the NBA. They’ve won 14 of their last 16 games and are currently fourth in the Western Conference standings with a record of 22-12. Despite their incredible form, veteran NBA analyst Skip Bayless does not seem to trust the team.
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Following their impressive 111-95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Bayless posted a grim message on X(Twitter). While he acknowledged the LA side’s impressive run, the FS1 host also highlighted the unreliability of some of the stars on the team based on their history in the league.
“Right now the Clippers are playing the best basketball in the NBA on offense and especially defense. Harden is playing All-Star PG. Westbrook making a case for 6th Man,” Bayless wrote. “But I’m sorry, how can you trust Harden or Russ or PG when it really matters? I don’t. Kawhi, YES. Them, no.”
Bayless’ apprehension about the Clippers’ odds of winning the NBA title is not entirely unwarranted. Their core of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden are All-NBA level players and perennial All-Stars. However, despite their generational ability and countless accolades, only one of the four has won an NBA title before. Leonard won it in 2015 with the San Antonio Spurs and in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. Westbrook and Harden went to the NBA Finals together in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, while George is yet to play in a Finals series.
Westbrook, Harden, and George’s playoff meltdowns are well-documented. Westbrook was part of the OKC team that blew a 3-1 lead to the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. On the other hand, George embarrassingly scored only ten points in the Clippers’ Game 7 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the 2020 Western Conference Semifinals, as they blew a 3-1 series lead to lose in 7.
Moreover, Harden went 2-of-13 from beyond the arc as the Houston Rockets missed 27 straight three-point attempts in their Game 7 contest against the Warriors in the 2017 Western Conference Finals. Last season, the 2018 MVP scored 13 and nine points respectively in Game 6 and Game 7 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 4-3 series loss against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Outside of Leonard, the Clippers stars have a reputation of underperforming in the playoffs. That doesn’t bode well for the team’s title aspirations. In addition, Kawhi also has a history of succumbing to injuries before crucial games in the playoffs.
Clippers’ Big 4 are unbothered about outside noise
To their credit, the Clippers’ four veteran stars have dealt with the naysayers well. They were positive during their prolonged losing streak before their impressive run began and are still enjoying each other’s company during road trips. Paul George shed light recently on why they are getting along well. The veteran forward explained that all four of them are from Southern California. That has made it easier to bond. He said:
“Man, it’s fun. You appreciate the greatness of Russ, James, Kawhi. We get to represent our hometown. It’s one of the sweetest deals you could do.”
Their camaraderie and chemistry have yielded 14 wins in 16 games. An incredible turnaround after their 0-6 slump following James Harden’s arrival from Philadelphia. The Beard pointed out how the noise surrounding the team has quickly dissipated:
“It didn’t start off well. It gave people so much to talk about in a negative way. And now those people that was talking, they’re nowhere to be found. Like literally nowhere to be found.”
Determined critics, like Skip Bayless, continue to talk about the Clippers’ potential shortcomings. However, their quartet is unbothered. They are focused on their common goal of winning a championship and are on the right path.
