The Clippers are Paullin’
- Updated: February 19, 2016
The Los Angeles Clippers are 36-18, 19-5 without Blake Griffin and as expected, Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan have all stepped up in the 5-time All Stars absense.
They have just traded Lance Stephenson (and a future 1st round pick) for Jeff Green after not settling for Channing Frye and what a move that turned out to be. Green is averaging 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and could easily displace Luc Richard Mbah a Moute for the starting role with the squad.
But how have the Clippers managed to comfortably sit fourth in the West without their superstar?
Chris Paul, that’s how.
After being bugged by niggling injuries to begin the season, Paul has been near his 2008 runner up MVP level in recent times. From January 1 onwards, Paul has averaged 22.4 points per game however while that was to be expected with Griffin out, Paul’s shooting percentages are all on the rise. In that time, he’s shooting over 46% from the field and shot 46% from behind the arc in the month of January while his assist average jumped to 10.4 over the 31 day period.
Couple Paul’s shooting with Redick’s mind blowing season and it becomes clearer as to why the Clippers are where they are. But any random off the street could tell you that.
Chris Paul’s usage rate has gone up since the absence of Griffin (duh, I know) and his current turnover rate is the second highest career, but the Clippers as a team sit 3rd for turnover rate at just 12 per game. Naturally, this allows the defense to get back and get set more often, something that has improved gradually for the Clippers so far this season.
As Redick pointed out in his weekly podcast for The Vertical – get on that by the way, something all Clipper fans should be listening to! – the team were inconsistent through the first eight weeks of the season but now sit tied for seventh with Cleveland in defensive efficiency at 101.1. Green’s addition should help improve this, as might the addition of NBA D-League rebound leader Alex Stephenson (Lose a Stephenson, gain a Stephenson) as the Clippers rebounding woes continue outside of Jordan. The return of Austin Rivers from a broken hand will also bolster the bench defense with one of Green or Mbah a Moute to join that line up as well.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Clippers are the Clippers. Any offense will flow with Paul at the helm as they currently sit fourth in effective field goal percentage behind the three ahead of them in the West – Golden State, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
When Chris Paul is on the court, he scores 25% of the teams points. Redick does likewise. The pair have played over 1300 minutes together so far this season, only second to Paul and Jordan.
Given Griffin scores 30% of the teams points when in the line up, it is impressive that the Clippers offense has managed to maintain their high level of efficiency in Griffin’s absence.
Obviously, a major concern for the Clippers core of players is the high amount of minutes they’re playing over the last stretch. Chris Paul is averaging over 38 minutes per game in February (albeit in five games) thanks to two overtime performances in Philly and Boston while DeAndre Jordan (38.6) and J.J. Redick’s (33.9) averages are all up in the same time frame.
All-Star break came at a great time for the team. They should all be refreshed and raring to go for what might be the final time the Clippers roll out a roster with this core group and although a 35-15 (and potential 55+win season) record might be good enough in any other season for a top two seed in the conference, this season is difference and it could blow the roster wide open.
The countdown to the playoffs is well and truly on!
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