NBA Week 22 Rewind: 73 wins looks likely for Warriors now

Who’s Struggling?

The Los Angeles Clippers’ 96-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers was exactly what they needed last week. The fading game-winner at the final buzzer from J.J. Redick was also what they needed, sending Staples Center into roars of excitement and relief. Relief that was longed for after a three-game losing streak, with two losses coming against starter-depleted teams further down the Western Conference and a 114-96 loss to the Warriors on March 23.

The loss to the Warriors was far more understandable as you’ll have seen in the game recap section a few slides back. Without Blake Griffin they lacked their superstar who can take the ball inside and help slow down the pace of the game, a worrying trend for a depleted Clippers team hoping to matchup against the best team in the NBA who can score in a flash.

However, a 113-102 loss to the Grizzlies (without Mike Conley, Matt Barnes and Marc Gasol) and a 109-105 loss to the Pelicans (without Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Ryan Anderson and Anthony Davis) are far from excusable. They were embarrassing, thanks to the Clippers’ defense suddenly taking a step backwards and the bench failing to hold up any leads Chris Paul was able to establish with the starters.

Even after snapping the streak against the Blazers, it wasn’t the most convincing performance for most of the night. The Clippers made just two threes before the final minute, with a couple of key defensive stops, Jamal Crawford (25 points for the night and two threes in the last 50 seconds) and Redick’s buzzer-beater giving the Clippers the clutch finish they needed.

Similar problems have reappeared as of late which is worthy of some worry from their fans and some serious attention from head coach Doc Rivers. The team’s energy has been lackadaisical, the bench hasn’t looked as composed as the last couple of months, and the lack of effort when it comes to rebounding and maintaining defensive intensity has been totally absent at times.

Before the win over the Trail Blazers and his impressive game-winner, Redick had the following to say about the Clippers’ spirit (per Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com):

"“I just think our spirit isn’t great right now. We’ve just got to be more together and fight more. You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but as a player you can feel it when your spirit isn’t right.”"

It sounds simple, but besides Griffin’s return, it’s primarily all the Clippers need right now to find some contention-caliber consistency. Even after another easy 105-90 win against the Nuggets on Sunday, consistency is what they need.

However, now that Griffin’s suspension has started, he’ll be back by April 3 against the Washington Wizards, giving him seven regular season games to prepare for the playoffs. That’s something for every Clippers player and fan to look forward to.

Next: The Best Highlights of Week 22