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After the Los Angeles Clippers failed to respond and were routed by a more aggressive and hungry New Orleans Pelicans team on Sunday night, Kawhi Leonard said his team’s inconsistency was ” very worrying “.
The Clippers never led and trailed 33 points before surrendering 135-115 to the Pelicans up and down New Orleans. While the Clippers were without Patrick Beverley (knee) and lost a second starter to Serge Ibaka for the second period due to low back strain, Leonard didn’t like what he saw.
The Clippers, a team expected to fight for a championship, have lost five of their last seven games. After starting the season 21-8, the Clippers are down to 4-7 since.
“It’s very worrying,” said Leonard when asked about his level of concern about the skid. “[If] we want to have a chance at everything, you have to be consistent. You know, that’s what great teams do, they’re consistent. They have their nights where, you know, the energy isn’t there. But it’s all about consistency, from teams to players to coaches. That’s what makes a great team, great players, great coaches. A consistency of being, of wanting to win and of practically the same habits of winning. “
Clippers coach Ty Lue was as angry as he has been this season after a loss. The Clippers (25-15) allowed New Orleans (17-22) to score 36 points and shoot 14 for 21 in the first quarter to fall behind 12. Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram combined to beat all of the Clippers. team 25-24 in the first quarter.
“The teams are attacking us, and we have to put up more resistance,” said Lue. “I’m not discouraged, because we’ve shown what we can do, and we can play at a high level. But we have to do it every night. We can’t keep talking about it. We have to f — ing … sorry, we have to. “
The only other time the even-pinned Lue has been so frustrated after a loss was when the Clippers were pierced by a more physical and aggressive Grizzlies team in Memphis in a 122-94 loss on February 25. that current period of mediocre play, but the Clippers opened up that game and that latest loss to New Orleans in the same way.
“That’s exactly how I felt,” Lue said of the loss to Memphis. “That’s what our coaching team was talking about. They were more physical than us, they were tougher than us, and you saw the results. We just have to be better.
“We have to be more physical, have a defensive mindset at the start of every game, I don’t care, I don’t care who you play.”
After that 28-point loss to the Grizzlies, the Clippers rebounded and beat Memphis by 20 in the next game. But the Clippers followed that up with three straight losses in the All-Star break.
The Clippers appeared to get back on track as they sent off the Golden State Warriors 130-104 at home on Thursday. But then came the dismal Sunday night effort without Beverley, which often gives the Clippers attitude and energy.
“Yes [Beverley is] here or not … everyone has to do it, “Leonard said of the energy supply.” I can’t count on just one person. “
The Clippers will play Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in Dallas on Monday for the first time since the Mavs destroyed them 124-73 in Los Angeles in Game 3 of the season.
“If we play like this again tomorrow it can be another 50 point loss,” said Lue frustrated. “So we’ve got to be ready, we’ve got to be prepared. And we’ve got to have our stuff together, man.”
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