Clippers Need More Than Chris Paul, Blake Griffin To Be True Contenders
Charles Barkley said it best on Thursday night when the Los Angeles Clippers trailed by eight points at halftime against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he remarked, "Chris Paul has to make every play for this team."
Despite Paul recording his 13th straight double-double, posting 17 points and 12 assists while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from three, the Clippers were unable to defeat the Thunder, as they fell to Oklahoma City, 105-91, at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
"We just couldn't get it going, honestly," Rivers said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). "I thought our offense -- our defense let us down by the end -- but at halftime, I thought it was still more of our offense. The way we've played the last couple of games, with the ball movement and all that -- that was all gone tonight."
Entering Thursday night, Paul ranked first in the NBA with the most assist opportunities per game of any player (22) and first in points per game created via assists (28), according to SportVU's player tracking data.
However, despite Paul's brilliance, the Clippers are now 8-5 on the season. Evidently, they're still trying to piece things together on both ends of the floor under Doc Rivers.
And to his credit, Blake Griffin has been beyond consistent on the offensive end as well. That much was evident against the Thunder, when Griffin exceeded his season average of 22.7 points, dropping in a team-high 27, including 15 in the third quarter, while grabbing 10 rebounds.
According to the Associated Press (via NBA.com), Griffin has posted 20 and 10 double-doubles in 10 of his last 12 games and has achieved that statistical feat a league-high 100 times since his rookie season.
At this point, it's clear: Paul and Griffin are proven commodities and championship-caliber pieces. But things aren't looking so promising considering the team wants to win a title sooner rather than later.
Complementary pieces, such as J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley and DeAndre Jordan, need to pick up the slack, particularly on defense.
Prior to Thursday night's loss, the Clippers ranked 27th in opponents' points per game, surrendering 105.1 per contest, and 28th in defensive rating, allowing 107.8 points per 100 possessions, according to Basketball-Reference.
Opponents are also shooting 47.3 percent against the Clippers, a bottom-10 mark that's a clear reflection of their inability to stop opponents on the interior.
Oklahoma City racked up 58 points in the paint on Thursday, the third game in a row in which a Clippers opponent managed 42 points or more in said area.
There's also the matter of the Clippers bench, which was supposed to be one of the league's premier units entering this season. According to HoopsStats, it ranks 16th in scoring, averaging 32.2 points a night.
By comparison, Vinny Del Negro's second unit averaged 40.1 points per game last season, the third-highest mark in the Association.
Jamal Crawford has been steady, but with the Clippers lacking secondary and tertiary facilitators who double as playmakers off the dribble, L.A. is searching for answers.
And when J.J. Redick—who's shooting 37.3 percent from the floor over his last five games—can't find his shot, the Clippers are in considerable trouble offensively. Against Oklahoma City, Redick contributed just eight points on a paltry 3-of-11 (1-of-6 from three) shooting.
When you look at the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors, they all have something in common: three or more reliable and diverse offensive weapons.
Oklahoma City has Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. San Antonio rolls with Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard, while the Warriors boast Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee and several others.
The Clippers? They have Paul and Griffin.
And while they're the headliners, it will ultimately be the Clippers' role players who will decide how far this team can go come playoff time.
