The Los Angeles Clippers gain strength again with consecutive victories against the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. After securing both victories, the Clippers secured fourth place in the Western Conference, with a record of 43-25.
That being said, the Clippers have seemingly lost their “mojo” since Westbrook left the team due to injury.
Westbrook suffered his current injury on March 1, during their game against the Washington Wizards. He fractured his left hand after trying to steal the ball from Wizards guard Jordan Poole. The Clippers currently have backup point guard Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, as the youngster has shown flashes of stardom this season.
Their next matchup with the 76ers is a must for the Clippers. After winning their last two games, the team managed to clinch fourth place over the Pelicans, but now faces the same threat once again as the Pelicans improved their record to 43-27. But unfortunately, Westbrook has been ruled out. “outside” for the team’s next game against the 76ers, while Westbrook rehabs his recent injury.
The Clippers will depend on their big three: James Harden, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in their next matchup. On the positive side, the Clippers should secure the win against the 76ers as the Eastern Conference team has been hit by the injury bug recently.
Joel Embiid, Robert Covington, Kyle Lowry and Kai Jones will be missed. Philadelphia will rely heavily on Tyrese Maxey to keep the team going without Embiid. This is a great opportunity for the Clippers to take advantage and secure their fourth place in the West.
Russell Westbrook has been great for the Clippers
This season has been described as a must-win season for the Clippers. Even Clippers owner Steve Balmer believes anything short of a championship would be a failure for this offense. But without Russell Westbrook, the Clippers’ chances of winning the chip are slim to none.
Westbrook not only orchestrates the Clippers’ second unit offense but is also the team’s “emotional” leader. Having played against and alongside the best players in the league, Westbrook has “unparalleled knowledge” of how to improve the productivity of his teammates. The 35-year-old man is averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists this season.
While Westbrook’s stats aren’t eye-popping, the triple-double king still has plenty to offer contending teams. Most of Westbrook’s impact can be seen on counterattacks and cutting moves, as Westbrook is an expert at finding easy shots for his teammates.
With reports from Andrian Woj hinting at a quick return for the OKC legend, the Clippers have not provided any definitive timeline for Westbrook’s return.
