LA Clippers Still Can’t Figure It Out

Despite falling into a 23 point deficit in the first half, the Golden State Warriors came back to shock the LA Clippers at Staples Center.

Despite looking poised to suffer their first defeat of the season, the Golden State Warriors overcame a spectacular return to the court from Chris Paul to overcome their Western Conference rivals.

The come from behind victory is the biggest comeback made by any team this season — the prior being 21 points.

In the first quarter, Paul returned from a groin injury to provide a hot start to give the Clippers a lead that they held for the majority of the game.

Stephen Curry also accumulated two fouls early on to help matters as Los Angeles was able to score 41 points in the first quarter and hold the champs to 25.

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While he was listed as “doubtful” prior to the start of the evening, Paul provided 35 points in 32 minutes of play and looked no worse for wear throughout the game.

Blake Griffin provided 27 points but faltered in the fourth quarter where he provided only one point.

Jamal Crawford followed with 15 points while Austin Rivers had 10 points off the bench.

DeAndre Jordan had 10 boards and notably made 5 out of 8 from the free-throw line.

Despite his first quarter woes, Curry finished the night with 40 points and 11 rebounds.

The reigning MVP also shot 6 of 14 from three-point range.

Klay Thompson followed with 25 points including a crucial three pointer late in the fourth.

Harrison Barnes had 21 points and Draymond Green had 19 to help lift the team past the Clippers.

Andre Igoudala had only eight points but hit two crucial shots down the stretch to steal the show when played to the Hollywood crowd afterward.

The Clippers remained ahead in the final five minutes of the game but the Warriors finished on a 22-5 run to steal their 13th straight victory.

The Warriors, if they remain undefeated, would break the record for best start in NBA history on Tuesday against the Lakers for their 16th victory.

For Los Angeles, the fourth quarter struggles of Blake Griffin highlighted what have appears to be more and more of a systematic failure for the Clippers.

The team now goes to 6-5 after opening the season 4-0.

Criticism seems to center on the weaknesses of the teams core more than anything else.

The talent of the Clippers’ “Big Three” as a unit has been expected to cover up personal weaknesses of the individuals.

In particular, Griffin’s struggles in the fourth quarter, coupled with Jordan’s inability to impose his will on the game this season have critics claiming that the squad does not have enough talent to challenge the upper-echelon of the western conference.

After last season, the victory over the Spurs in the playoffs looked to be a turning point for the franchise as they overcame arguably the most dominant team in the west of the past several years.

Whatever issues that led to their historic collapse against the Rockets have carried into this year despite all of their off-season acquisitions.

Bottom Line: LA is playing absent-minded basketball.

While the season is still early, the Clippers will need to show an ability to close-out games against the elite of the Western Conference if they are to take the next step as a team.

Currently, the off-court distractions against the Warriors are all for nought if the Clippers can’t back-up their statements.

And so far, that’s all we’ve seen consistently.