The Clippers return home after their last extended road trip of the season having shed their “soft” tag and collected victories in three of the four games.
But what awaits them now that they are back at Crypto.com Arena for six of their last seven regular-season games, a stretch that starts with Thursday’s game against the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets?
Can they continue to play with the grit and defensive mindset they showed in victories against the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets for their first three-game winning streak since Feb. 5?
Or will they succumb to the potholes that they have struggled to avoid in front of their fans?
The Clippers (47-28) have gone 25-15 overall on the road this season and are an NBA-best 19-7 away from home since January. Only two teams among the top four in each conference have better road records.
At home, they are 22-13 after losing their last five on their home court. Outside of sleeping in their own beds, playing at home hasn’t been exactly advantageous, and they will play their remaining seven games in just 11 days with a pair of back-to-back sets.
“It’s definitely one (game) we should be up for,” All-Star Paul George said about facing the Nuggets in the Clippers’ return home. “It’s a game that we need to establish who we are.”
George added that a game against the defending NBA champion Nuggets (53-23), who will be without All-Star guard Jamal Murray (ankle sprain), will not only help solidify their refreshed defensive mindset but provide a measure of where else they need to improve in the final days of the season.
“Absolutely. These are the ones you look forward to the most, especially with the playoffs around the corner,” George said. “A matchup against a really good team we get a chance to measure we’re at going into the playoffs coming down to the wire and closing the season out.”
The Clippers got a glimpse of where they stand during the recent four-game trip. After beating the Philadelphia 76ers, they closed out the Orlando Magic two nights later after squandering two double-digit leads in the second half. Then on Sunday, the Clippers held off the Charlotte Hornets despite giving up 23 3-pointers.
“Getting a win however you’ve got to get it is the most important thing, but we’ve still got a lot to build on and get better with,” Coach Tyronn Lue said after beating Charlotte. “We’ll take the win. The Philly and the Orlando games were two good games that we needed – two gritty wins, tough wins on the road. And then tonight, just sticking with it even though we didn’t do a good job defensively.”
The 109-95 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, a game in which Kawhi Leonard didn’t play, showed the Clippers cannot rely solely on the two-time NBA Finals MVP. Leonard, who is averaging 23.7 points. 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists missed the game because of soreness in his right knee and his status for Thursday’s game was in question.
The Clippers still have three other future Hall of Famers, including James Harden, who hasn’t been himself lately. For the second consecutive game, the former league MVP has made just one shot. He scored six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 31 minutes against the Kings, his lone basket a 3-pointer in the second quarter.
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Harden credited the Kings’ defense for his low offensive production. Sacramento blitzed Harden consistently, which kept him from finding his spots.
“They was trapping me,” he told reporters in Sacramento. “So, just trying to find ways of being aggressive.”
Although Harden finished with eight assists and five rebounds, it’s his shooting that should be a concern for the Clippers considering Leonard’s knee issues.
Harden missed two games last month because of a strained left shoulder, which could be contributing to his lack of scoring; has not scored more than 16 points in his past nine games.
CLIPPERS VS. NUGGETS
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV/radio: TNT, 570 AM
