LOS ANGELES, CA — The regular season has come to an end and the Los Angeles Clippers led by Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are determined to make a strong playoff push this postseason that should lead to at least an NBA Finals appearance.
“Coming into this season I needed to be better and up to this point it’s just being who I am and who I been,” George said.
Some may still question and critique what transpired last season, however George and the team have turned the page and yet have learned so much from those experiences. With a new voice on the sidelines in head coach Ty Lue and his approach with George, Leonard, and new comers Rajon Rondo and Boogie Cousins, this team is primed for a different and deep playoff run.
Throughout the season the Clippers have battled injuries, trades and still managed to remain in the top four seeding in the Western Conference something that was not easy to accomplish. The team not bought in to Lue’s philosophy but executed it extremely well.
“Whole different team, different coaching staff, energy’s a lot better,” Marcus Morris said. “And we all have one goal, and we are all committed to it.”
A rematch of the first round match up from last year with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavs, as this time there is no bubble, there will be fans in each team’s arena. Players have the opportunity to sleep in their own beds in their home cities. Will this be the year the Clippers take advantage and make history by not only reaching the Western Conference Finals but the NBA Finals?
“That’s what you signed that the nature of the game and ultimately that’s what were playing for… we’re playing to be the last team standing,” George said. “It’s a journey and it’s one we are willing to go through.“
A journey indeed to have to face some stiff competition against teams potentially such as the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Portland Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.
This season is a different George where he entered the season healthy, and put up big numbers that propelled the team to victories even in absence of fellow teammates Leonard, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Beverley while they were dealing with injuries.
“You know, I’m able to live a normal life. I can go home, I can see my family, I can spend time with my family, I can interact with other people outside of this team and so that alone has just been a big difference to be back to some normalcy,” he said.
No doubt this first round series will be a chippy yet competitive one, though there is mutual respect between the teams. Both franchises want to excel however it will take the Clippers to fully commit to 48 minutes of great basketball, and have George’s regular season success to continue.
The focus remains on the right now bring the franchise a ring as that journey begins on Saturday afternoon at Staples Center. With everyone healthy and locked in for the Clippers, there is truly no excuse but to produce.
“We made some changes, so we’re a totally different team,” Lue explained. “And that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re gonna win a championship because of that, but we’re in a different place. The goal is to win a championship, same goals we had last year, but we have different players, we have a different mentality“
