The Los Angeles Clippers are once again gaining steam with back-to-back victories against the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. After securing both wins, the Clippers have landed the fourth seed in the Western Conference, with a record of 43-25. That being said, the Clippers have seemingly lost their “mojo” since Westbrook departed from the team, due to injury.
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Westbrook sustained his current injury on March 1st, during their contest against the Washington Wizards. He fractured his left hand after trying to steal the ball from Wizards guard Jordan Poole. The Clippers are currently on their backup point guard Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, as the youngster has shown glimpses of stardom this season.
Their next contest with the 76ers is a must-win for the Clippers. After winning their last two contests, the team has managed to take the fourth seed over the Pelicans but now faces the same threat once again, as the Pelicans improved their record to 43-27. But unfortunately, Westbrook has been ruled “out” for the team’s next contest against the 76ers, as Westbrook rehabs his recent injury.
The Clippers will rely on their big three of James Harden, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard in their next match-up. On the bright side, the Clippers should secure the victory against the 76ers as the Eastern Conference team has been hit by the injury bug recently.
They will miss Joel Embiid, Robert Covington, Kyle Lowry, and Kai Jones. Philadelphia will heavily rely on Tyrese Maxey to hold down the team without Embiid. This is a great chance for the Clippers to pull ahead and secure their fourth-place spot in the West.
Russell Westbrook has been great for the Clippers
This season has been described as a must-win season for the Clippers. Even Clippers owner, Steve Balmer believes that anything but a Championship would be a failure for this offense. But without Russell Westbrook, the chances of the Clippers winning the chip is slim to none.
Westbrook not only orchestrates the offense for the Clipper’s second unit but also is the “emotional” leader of the team. Having played against, and alongside the best players in the league, Westbrook has an “unparalleled knowledge” of how to improve teammates’ productivity. The 35-year-old is averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists this season.
Even though Westbrook’s stats are not eye-popping, the triple-double king still has a lot to offer for contending teams. Most of Westbrook’s impact can be seen in fast breaks and slashing movements, as Westbrook is an expert at finding easy shots for his teammates. With reports from Andrian Woj, hinting at a quick return for the OKC legend, the Clippers haven’t provided any definitive timeline for Westbrook’s return.
