After dropping their opening home game against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers have notched back-to-back road wins against the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors.
The Los Angeles Clippers experienced an upturn in form because of their improved defense. According to NBA Stats, their defensive rating of 103.2 points per 100 possessions is the third-best in the league behind the Golden State Warriors (99.3) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (90.8), validating Terance Mann‘s bold claim he made recently at practice.
“I think it’s the best defensive team I’ve ever been on in my life,” Mann said via ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly. “I’m excited for that. I just think everybody’s ability to guard the ball one-on-one, to scrap, help, people’s knack for stealing the ball, getting their hands in there, deflections. It’s easily top two, probably one defensive team I’ve ever been on.”
The revamped Los Angeles Clippers defense will be tested this week, especially during their five-game homestand against the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Los Angeles Clippers’ unsung heroes
Many thought that the Los Angeles Clippers would be a worse defensive team this season after letting go of Paul George, one of the top two-way players in the league, while Kawhi Leonard is still recovering from his knee injury.
However, everybody has stepped up for LA, including free agent signings Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. and their starting shooting guard Norman Powell.
According to NBA Stats, Dunn and Jones have combined for 11 steals and 22 deflections, while Norman Powell is the team’s second-leading scorer behind James Harden at 24.7 points per game on 51.9 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three-point land.