Kawhi is back, but the Clippers lost 10 of 12 games! 4 major factors make the play-offs a luxury, and a coaching change becomes the only way out

Change the coach! Kawhi Kawhi finally returned after missing 10 games due to injury, but it is still difficult to prevent the Clippers from losing 10 of the past 12 games. Four major factors have made it impossible for the Clippers to compete in the play-offs. A coaching change is almost the only way for this Clippers team to quickly turn around the situation.

The Clippers lost 10 of 12 games

After defeating the Hornets with Harden's 10 three-pointers and scoring 55 points in the previous game to end their losing streak, the Clippers welcomed back Kawhi Kawhi before facing the Cavaliers. The latter had missed 10 consecutive games due to an ankle sprain.

As a result, Kawhi returned, but Zubac burned out and failed to allow the Clippers to defeat the powerful Cavaliers. In the end, they lost to the Cavaliers 105-120 and suffered their 10th loss in the past 12 games.

In this way, the Clippers, who built a luxurious paper lineup before the season with the goal of competing for the championship, only had a poor record of 5 wins and 12 losses in the first month of the new season and ranked fourth from the bottom in the Western Conference.

The play-offs have become a luxury

Before the start of this game, Clippers reporter Iliyan Lakhani just published a long article breaking the news. After experiencing a dismal start, the Clippers have reached an internal consensus that the goal this season is to fight for a play-off spot.

During this period, the players will remain humble, the coaching staff will also adjust tactics, and the management plans to make adjustments before the trade deadline.

In addition, the team's record gap with potential competitors such as the Jazz, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers and Warriors is not large. The Clippers' ultimate goal for the season is to strive for 8-10 places. However, four major factors have made it a luxury for the Clippers with this seemingly luxurious roster to compete in the play-offs. A coaching change has almost become the only way out.

Factor 1: Crispy Kaka

After missing 10 consecutive games due to injury, Kaka came back and exploded. In 26 minutes of playing time, he made 6 of 13, 3 of 5 three-pointers, and efficiently scored 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals.

It can only be said that Kawhi will quickly break the doubts of the outside world through his performance when he comes on the court. However, the problem with Kawhi is that he cannot appear for a long time. Since joining the Clippers, his absence rate has been as high as 44%, and he has to take a break almost every time he plays.

After the game, Clippers reporter Justin Russo revealed that Kawhi's only playing 26 minutes in this game was not a deliberate arrangement by the coaching staff, but Kawhi himself asked to leave the game. He looked a little uncomfortable, walked straight off the court and stretched alone on the sidelines.

Justin Rowan, the opponent's Cavaliers reporter, explained: "Kawhi was accidentally hit hard on the knee by his teammate Collins before leaving the field."

In addition to such a fragile Kawhi, Bill has been reimbursed for the season, and important rotation Jones Jr. has also missed several games due to injury.

Factor 2: Harden is in a slump

While Kawhi scored 20 points efficiently in Kawhi's comeback, Zubac, the core inside line, scored 33 points, 18 rebounds and 4 assists on 18 of 22 shots. He became the third player after Jokic and Harten to score at least 33 points and 18 rebounds in a single game at the beginning of the season. He was also the first player in Clippers history to deliver such a performance after 2005.

As a result, the Clippers still lost the game. Harden, who was in a sluggish state, must bear a lot of responsibility. He made 5 of 16 in the game and 0 of 8 three-pointers. He only scored 19 points and 6 assists, with a plus-minus of +15, which was the worst for a starter.

But considering that Harden just scored 55 points in the previous game of back-to-back games, and this is the second game of back-to-back games, Harden's slump is understandable.

You must know that Harden has averaged 35.5 minutes per game since the beginning of the season, ranking tenth in the league. It is indeed too harsh to ask the 36-year-old Harden to explode on the field when he has been leading the team for a long time, not to mention that he is the second in charge of the team.

Factor 3: Lost defense

Kawhi Kawhi was absent for a long time last season, but the Clippers relied on their top defensive performance to ensure that the team was in the top five in the Western Conference for a long time. This season, the Clippers have lost this life-saving skill.

In just one month since the start of the season, the Clippers have allowed their opponents to score 120+ points nine times. Last season, it was not until February of the following year that the Clippers conceded 120+ points for the ninth time. Currently, the Clippers' defense ranks only 23rd.

Factor 4: Recruitment failure

While losing their foundation of defense, the Clippers' recruitment strategy also failed. Powell, who left the team, led the Heat to 4 consecutive victories and performed the best performance of his career.

Bill, the Clippers' bet on replacement, is out for the season, Paul recognized the reality and decided to retire after the season, and Los Angeles is also aging. As Clippers reporter Farbod Esnaashari said, the Clippers' recruitment has failed completely, and the depth is much worse than last season.

Considering that the Clippers' 26-year first-round pick has been sent to the Thunder in the previous 9-for-1 George process, the Clippers' desire to use the "transition year" to accumulate energy for the next season has become a luxury.

Coupled with the limited chips in hand, it is also difficult to make major adjustments to the lineup before the trade deadline. Currently, if the Clippers want to quickly reverse the situation, the only way is to change coaches.

It is worth mentioning that after the Clippers lost to the Cavaliers, there was no interview with head coach Tyronn Lue because there were no visiting team reporters. This situation is very rare.