Gilbert Arenas describes the Clippers as the “Hoes” of the NBA.
Could a hooker be a homemaker? Yes, it is true, but have they? The Clippers are it,” Arenas declared.”They are the NBA’s hoes. We don’t think they’ll soon be trophy wives.”
Over the past several years, the Clippers have suffered some very devastating losses, and under their current leadership, they have failed to go to the NBA Finals. Los Angeles is looking stronger than ever this season, going 26โ14, and there is serious talk that they might make a run. However, some people (like Arenas) still don’t think the Clippers will deliver when it matters most because of a fairly unpleasant history of losing and poor luck.
Years Of Neglect For The Clippers
In contrast to their current form, the Clippers were the league’s laughingstock throughout the most of their existence. The franchise has relatively little history and few notable achievements prior to the “Lob City Clippers” era in the middle of the 2010s. It’s understandable why the franchise was an afterthought for a long time when you contrast this with the gloss and glamour of the Lakers.
However, the Clippers’ fortunes never quite seemed to fit together, even in the glory days of Lob City, when they were winning a lot of games. The Clippers were never able to mount a serious comeback in the spring because of a string of misfortunes, team breakdowns, or being pinned against a dynasty. Fans expected a complete transformation of the club with the arrival of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in 2019, but instead, things have remained mostly unchanged. Despite their four years of dating, Kawhi and George have never made it to the NBA Finals, and given their lengthy track record of disappointment, it seems unlikely that they will this season.
Encouragement In Los Angeles
Regardless of your feelings about the Clippers, you have to give them credit for their recent performance in the West. They had a poor start, but they have since picked up their play, winning 8 of their last 10 games to lock themselves a top-four spot. The finest two-way player in the league and two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has been leading the assault. Paul George, his major co-star and sidekick, is averaging 23.9 points per game on a career-high 46.8% shooting.
James Harden, who provides playmaking, ball handling, and perimeter shooting to complement the two wing studs, is perhaps the Clippers team’s biggest x-factor. His abilities have allowed the Clippers to play like a different team, and their lethality is becoming apparent. As the postseason approaches, the Clippers’ sole remaining task is to end their losing streak and make it to the championship round. There will be questions about their competitiveness with the rest of the West until they manage to pull it off.