Clippers hardly daunted by 1-0 hole after prior series comebacks
Despite falling behind 2-0 in two consecutive series and losing Game 1 at Phoenix, the Clippers are not worried.
The LA Clippers made league history by being the first team to recover from 0-2 deficits multiple times in the same postseason, never showing signs of faltering even when faced with such challenges.
So believe it when Paul George says, “I expect us to get better as the series goes,” or when DeMarcus Cousins vows the Clippers will “adjust” at some point soon in this Western Conference finals series against the Phoenix Suns.
“Following Game 1, we’ve gotten a glimpse of their strategy and we need to determine how to adjust,” said Ivica Zubac, the Clippers center. “It would be ideal if other teams had to adjust to us, but our series with Dallas and Utah went on for seven and six games respectively, giving other teams more preparation time. That’s just the way it is, and we need to embrace it. We’ll make the necessary adjustments.”
They’ve certainly proven adept at the chess game on the hardwood against some of the NBA’s brightest stars heading into Tuesday’s Game 2 at Phoenix Suns Arena (9 ET, ESPN).
The playoffs began with LA losing the first two matches to a Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks team. However, they bounced back, winning four of the following five games to take the series. In the conference semi-finals, against Donovan Mitchell’s top-seeded Utah Jazz, who were at a disadvantage due to injury, the Clippers recovered from an initial two-game loss to secure four consecutive victories.
This series could start out similarly considering coach Tyronn Lue officially ruled out leading scorer Kawhi Leonard for Game 2 against a Suns squad that George believes is “a different caliber team than the other two teams we faced.” Forward Marcus Morris Sr. (knee) “is still experiencing some soreness,” according to Lue, though he is not listed on the Game 2 injury report.
Paul George had an impressive performance in Game 1, however, he and the Clippers couldn’t maintain their momentum. What can they do to remedy this in Game 2?
In the face of all that adversity, LA’s confidence hasn’t waned. Devin Booker drilled the Clippers in Game 1 for a 40-point triple-double, but the Clippers believe they’ve already identified different ways to minimize the All-Star guard’s impact as the series progresses.
Lue commented that his team consistently allowed Booker too much space on the court in Game 1, thereby giving him substantial room to build his attack. This strategy put his team’s big men in challenging positions, as the Suns guard exploited the Clippers with his mid-range game.
“We need to apply more defensive pressure on the perimeter, and try to minimize the space they have to operate. This would enable our big players to establish their positions and make plays in tighter spaces,” said Lue. “I believe they effectively exploited our defense for the most part. We made errors. But as I mentioned, Devin Booker was excellent at anticipating what move he needed to make when we targeted him for a double-team. When we attacked their pick-and-roll, they knew precisely where their players needed to be, putting us in difficult situations. They executed their offensive strategy effectively,” he added.
Doncic and Mitchell primarily used the 3-pointer to deal damage in the first two rounds, but Booker poses a unique problem. He has the ability to harm opponents with his 3-point shooting as well as his mid-range game, and he is also highly skilled at scoring at the basket.
“Zubac explained, ‘When guarding against Luka and Donovan, you need to be at the screen level. However, for those who prefer the mid-range, you don’t need to be that high. That’s a significant difference for me when defending the pick-and-roll.'”
Deandre Ayton, the center for the Suns, presents a distinctive challenge due to the contrast in his playing style compared to LA’s first two round opponents. Kristaps Porzingis primarily served as a decoy to spread the floor for Dallas in the first round. Although Utah’s Rudy Gobert has exceptional rim-protecting skills, he lacks Ayton’s athleticism in defensive rotations and proficiency at finishing at the rim.
In Game 1, Ayton scored 20 points with 10 successful shots out of 14 attempts and contributed nine rebounds. This helped Phoenix secure a 43-39 victory in the rebound battle.
“George said, ‘Ayton is slightly more agile and has a stronger presence down low than other bigs we’ve faced. He’s a better finisher as well. Therefore, it’s going to pose a challenge for us and it’s something we definitely need to work on.”
Using their depth and a consistent performance from Devin Booker, Phoenix secured a win in Game 1 of the West finals.
As LA’s top scorer Leonard is out indefinitely, Lue thinks that backup point guard Rajon Rondo should play a more critical role in the series. When Reggie Jackson and George are not in the games, the Clippers are unable to play through Leonard as they typically do.
In Game 1, Rondo scored eight points, made 3 out of 5 shots, gave seven assists, all in 22 minutes.
Lue expressed the importance of his pace and ability to set up shots for Luke Kennard, Nic Batum, and Cousins. He emphasized that this player’s pace is especially crucial in the absence of leading scorer, Kawhi. The team needs someone who can not only maintain the pace but also create shooting opportunities for others. It is important for him to have confidence in his own shooting as well, as evidenced by his two 3-pointers in the last game. However, Lue pointed out that he contributes more than just shooting – his intelligence, pace, leadership, and ability to set up shots for others are all vital. He stressed that the team needs all of these qualities, not just the ability to score and make shots.
The Clippers, however, are not lacking in confidence. They have an abundance of it, built from their extensive experience in overcoming difficulties throughout this postseason. But the impending challenge appears slightly more formidable due to the uncertainty surrounding Morris and Leonard’s condition. Both are receiving continuous treatment, hoping to rejoin the lineup as quickly as possible.
The Clippers managed to defeat Utah by a total of 20 points in the last two games of the conference semifinals, despite Leonard’s absence from the lineup.
“So, our plan is to correct the mistakes we made in Game 1, right our wrongs, and obviously make adjustments. We are looking forward to a better performance,” said Cousins.
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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