Recapping week #22 for the LA Clippers
- thePeachBasket Objective Power Rankings updated standings in the West and overall
- The best to do it, by average, for the Clippers in week #22
- A look ahead at week #23
- Full Court Press focus on Russell Westbrook's return! https://www.newsweek.com/los-angeles-clippers-news-russell-westbrook-expected-return-lineup-next-week-1882723
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Week22ofthe2023/24NBAseasonisover,whichmeansit'stimetorunitback.
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Thisisrunningback.
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NBAWeekinreview,LosAngelesClippersedition.
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I'mJoseSalviati,editoratthepeachbasket.netandformallythefeaturedcolumnistcovering
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theClippersforBleacherReport.
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ThisistheshowwherewerecaptheweekthatwasfortheLAClippersandthenhighlight
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theirmarqueematchupfortheweektocome.
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We'llstartlikewealwaysdobylookingatwheretheteenlandsonthepeachbasket
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objectivepowerrankingsthisweek.
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NowthisweekwasabetterweekfortheClipperswhowerereallyflounderingaftertheall-star
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break.
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TheClippersfinishedtheweekattwoandone,I'dpredictedandactuallysaidtheyneeded
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athreeandoweekthisweekbasedontheneedwiththeplayoffscomingupandthecompetition.
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Whiletheydidnotdeliveronthatprediction,theycamekindofclose.
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ThelosstotheAtlantaHawkstokickofftheweekwithoutTreyYoungwasanoddandreally
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kindofdemoralizingone.
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Theylost1-1093andjustneverseemedtobeinterestedinwinningorcompetinginthat
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game.
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Itwasrough.
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Thingsdidnotlookgood.
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It'sonethingtolose.
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It'sanotherthingtolosetoateamyoureallyshouldbeat,especiallywithagain,the
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playoffsjustaroundthecorner.
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ButthenthebasketballgodssenttheClippersagiftintheformofthePortlandTrailblazers
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withapologiestoBlazersfansandImeanitsincerelybecauseI'mabigfanofChelsea
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billupsandIthinktheBlazershavegotalotupside.
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Butman,thisteamwasexactlywhattheClippersneeded.
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TheBlazersinawayrepresentedfreethrowsfortheClippersthatwereshootingpoorly.
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DoyouknowwhatImeanbythat?
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Imagine a game where a player is getting good shots up but they just aren't dropping.
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It happens, right?
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Then that player gets fouled, goes to the line and he watches two shots, go in.
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That's all it took.
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That's all that player needed to go on a tear because watching shots fall helps.
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Winning two games helps.
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These Blazers were these Clippers free throws.
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Hopefully, we'll see, we 23 is going to tell if the Clippers can take on or carry on that
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momentum that these free throws, representative free throws, hopefully got them.
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The Clippers won both games in Portland, 116, 103 and 125, 117.
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Time will tell if that's enough to get them on the right track.
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But there's more good news for the Clippers which we'll get to in just a little bit.
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Time to in one week was enough to keep them at number four in the Peach Basket's objective
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power rankings for the eighth weekend of row.
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Overall, they hold steady at the number five spot for the fourth weekend of row.
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Let's turn our attention out of the players.
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These are the best to do it in key categories for the Clippers.
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A lot of familiar names but again, as is normal for the Clippers, we see different names
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which is kind of good.
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Paul George though, led the team once again with 28 points per game in week number 22.
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That was over his three games played.
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PG was also the best sniper averaging four, three point field goals made and the best overall
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shooter averaging 9.7 field goals made.
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The Clippers best rebounder in week number 22 was Big Zoo.
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Vita Zubat's average 7.7 total rebounds over his three games played.
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That was also pulled down three offensive rebounds on average to lead the Clippers.
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Defensively Paul George grabbed the most rebounds averaging 5.3.
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James Harden continues to be the in all caps facilitator for the Clippers.
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This week he averaged 11 assists per game over his three games played to once again lead the
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team.
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The blocks category was shared by PG and Vita Zubat's both who averaged 1.3 blocks per game.
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Paul George led the team in steals with 2.7 on average and also in game score at 25.8.
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Looking ahead to week number 23, the Clippers are in a battle against Eastern conference foes
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with two games at home and two on the road.
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The Clippers start by taking on the Philadelphia 76ers at home, followed by a game against the
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very good Indiana Pacers.
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The team then travels to Philadelphia to take on the sixers again on their home court and
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finishes the week with a game in Orlando against the magic.
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Predicting this week is kind of tough because the big question is which Clippers team is
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going to show up, right?
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Did they learn their lesson against the Portland Trailblazers?
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Did James Harden do what he wanted to do and kind of pick up the team by attempting
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to block a co-illinative 3-point shot?
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Which team are we going to see?
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Are we going to see that team or are we going to see the team that showed up against the
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Atlanta Hawks?
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And in other games this season, I don't know man, we're going to have to wait and see.
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This is not going to be an easy week but it is going to be a telling week for the Clippers.
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Beating the Blazers of course was great and having a 2-in-1 week was exactly what they
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needed.
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And then, apologies, it was the Portland Trailblazers.
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Week 23 is objectively tough for them.
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But I want to predict.
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So when I take a look at Week 23, I see a 2-in-2 week for the Clippers.
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I think they beat the sixers at home and then lose to them on the road with another loss
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against the Pacers at home finishing the week against the magic with a win.
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Week 2 is not bad, obviously it's not great.
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I wouldn't be surprised to see them 3-in-1, the bummer is, I wouldn't be surprised to see
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them go 1-3 either.
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But we'll see.
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We're down on record 2-in-2 week for the Clippers in Week 23.
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Well in the show with full court press, this is where we just type in Los Angeles Clippers
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into a browser and see what comes up in page 1 that looks interesting in the big news
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for the Clippers.
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I alluded to it earlier.
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There is Morgan News on top of a 2-in-1 week.
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They got word that Russell Westbrook is expected back, actually in Week 23, potentially.
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We go to Newsweek for this article entitled Los Angeles Clippers News, Russell Westbrook
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expected to return to the lineup next week written by Ricardo Klein.
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Now it's no surprise to anybody really that Russell Westbrook was missed.
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The Clippers were 6-in-5 without him, which isn't great, but it's not bad.
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It's not great.
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I don't know how else to put it.
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They miss his intensity, man.
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Personally I'm disappointed because I really had hoped that Bones Highland would fill that
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gap well when I see Bones Highland play, right?
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I see a lot of Russell Westbrook in him.
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But for whatever reason, Tylo just doesn't trust him.
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He hasn't been getting the minutes.
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He did initially, and he played okay.
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He just hasn't played well enough, I guess, or trusted the team enough to get the run that
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I thought he would get without Russell Westbrook in the lineup.
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Because Alvarage 11.1 games points, rather, per game this season on 45.2 shooting from the
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field, five rebounds, four assists, one steal.
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When he's in the game with that second unit, he changes things, man.
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The other team knows it, and more importantly, the Clippers know it.
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His teammates know it.
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He's missed.
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Having him back this early is great.
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This is going to give him enough time to ramp up, to get his legs.
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Not that he was gone that long, but still you're going to need a couple games to really kind
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of get back into the flow.
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And to have the opportunity to do that before the playoffs is huge for the Clippers.
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Things are lining up pretty well for them.
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They're mostly healthy.
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And they're coming off a good week.
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This week is important.
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As the weeks start to wind down, seeding becomes important.
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Right now they're playing the Pelicans who have not had great success against in the regular
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season.
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That's their first round matchup.
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These games are important, man.
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Winning is important.
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Cohesiveness, chemistry, it's all important.
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It's a great time of year.
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Excited to have Russell Westbrook back just in time.
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That's it.
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Week number 22 of the Clippers 2023-24 NBA season is in the books.
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Join us again next week after week number 23 when we once again run it back.