In their latest match-up, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the precarious Washington Wizards 140:115. This win helped them overcome the loss against the Lakers when they blew a 21-point lead owing to LeBron James storm. During the win, James Harden stacked up 28 points and 8 assists while Kawhi Leonard had a solid 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.
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Meanwhile, James’ former teammate and Clippers’ bench guard Russell Westbrook suffered a huge blow in the Washington tilt as he fractured his hand while poking the ball away from Jordan Poole with 10 minutes left in the second quarter. So, what is his status ahead of the game against the mighty Minnesota Timberwolves?
As per the latest injury report, Russell Westbrook has been ruled ‘out’ due to a left-hand fracture. As of now, Westbrook has been sidelined indefinitely. Apart from Westbrook, Ivica Zubac is also on the injury list and his status is “Questionable” owing to an illness.
While Westbrook plays a key role off the bench, the Clippers seem to have enough ammo to win. Much to Russ’ credit, he played in all 58 games before the fracture so it will be the first time the team will play without him. At any rate, the Clippers have been a bit wayward after the All-Star break.
The Los Angeles Clippers need to find their groove
The Clippers have lost three of their last five games in the window after the All-Star break. They have lost five of their last nine games, which is a far cry from how they were earlier, when they had an impressive 31 wins in 39 games. Overall, they have registered 38 wins and 20 losses, currently in fourth place in the Western Conference. They are 3.5 games ahead of the fifth-placed Pelicans and looking prime to enter the Playoffs as a top-four seed.
Although they have struggled recently, they are surely one of the title contenders. They have a perfect mix of offense and defense. The perimeter is sealed with Paul George, Terance Mann, and Kawhi Leonard. Moreover, Ivica Zubac can provide stellar help with defense and rebounding. Meanwhile, offensively, with floor general James Harden, the possibilities are endless, not to mention George and Leonard, who are stellar scorers both on and off the ball.
Off the bench, Norman Powell provides instant scoring but losing Russell Westbrook long-term does put their balance in jeopardy. It will be intriguing to see how the Clippers will recover from their slump and how they will perform during the postseason.
