Heading into the season, it seemed safe to assume that the Clippers — owners of a top-five offense each of the past two years, even as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George each missed significant amounts of time — would continue to score at an elite rate, even if their defense suffered without the former two-time defensive player of the year.
About 20 percent into the season, the team’s fortunes have actually been reversed. The Clippers boast an elite defense, currently second-best in the league despite some rebounding deficiencies, while the club has intended struggled offensively. That combination has still resulted in a solid point differential (seventh in the league, per Cleaning the Glass) and arguably more upside, given Ty Lue’s historical bona fides on the offensive side of the ball.