They can point to a multitude of caused for the extraordinary results.
Smaller lineups have led to ample spacing and ball movement, which subsequently have led to more 3-point looks. And they’re not missing.
For the season, the Clippers are making 8.6 3-pointers per game while averaging 24.2 attempts from long range for a 35.5 percent mark. The last five games, however, they’re in the top five in the league with 11.4 made 3-pointers per game and a 41.9 percent mark from behind the arc.
It all began in Utah, where Paul Pierce, who didn’t start the game, began to make a quick impact. Head coach Doc Rivers liked what Pierce provided enough to keep him with the starters in the second half, and the move paid off, with Pierce scoring a season-high 20 points while hitting five 3-pointers.
At first, Rivers wanted to only use the smaller Pierce lineup the first few games of the road trip, but it worked so well he stuck with it the remainder of the trip. At that point, Pablo Prigioni and Cole Aldrich had already started to positively assimilate themselves into the backup rotation, which J.J. Redick said has “without a doubt been the biggest difference in the second unit.”
When Austin Rivers returned from injury in Washington, D.C., a successful small-ball backup group fully came to fruition.
Doc Rivers called it “a game of chicken” with the smaller lineups, but so far, the Clippers are winning that game.
“We’re awful small, and that’s scary at times,” Doc Rivers said, “but it’s working for us.”
Five wins have followed since Griffin went down, with the Clippers posting a 115.1 offensive rating in that span, good for third best in the NBA and nearly 10 points per 100 possessions better than their season average.
Yet it’s the other end of the floor Doc Rivers points to for the recent success.
“I still think it’s the defense,” Doc Rivers said. “The more stops we get, especially when you’re small, the more lethal you are. You’re faster, you’re quicker, you’re spacing is better. But if you play in the half-court with a small lineup, it’s actually harder to score in some ways. It’s almost more important that we play better defense when we’re smaller.”
The defensive rating has stuck right around their typical average, though they’re getting a steal more per game the last five games. They’ve taken advantage of those mistakes, averaging 20 points per game off turnovers during that stretch, a top five mark in the league.
Through spacing and shot-making, the Clippers have rung off six straight wins. They’ve received enhanced performances from the players they count on most, while getting help off the bench from both expected and unexpected key contributors.
