The Clippers had been 17-3 over their last 20 games heading into their matchup against New Orleans a week ago. Since then, they’re 0-3. They’ve essentially ceded any chance of finishing in the top two in the West, and have also lost the tiebreaker to Denver, but they’ve been surprisingly upbeat in all of their public appearances.
Ty Lue is happy to have Kawhi Leonard back with Patrick Beverley also progressing to a return. The Clippers can now figure out what they’re working with even if the process doesn’t always look pretty in real time. Although the rankings are focusing on the results, it’s always important to keep the big picture in mind.