The LA Clippers (15-7) are improbably atop the Western Conference standings, and they’re winning in unconventional fashion.
The Clips aren’t launching a ton of three-pointers; they have no NBA All-Stars; and yet here we are.
The Clippers have won 9 of their last 10 and don’t shoot threes. They also don’t care: https://t.co/4asgf3fW3E
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) November 30, 2018
Head coach Doc Rivers just wants his team to reach the 120-point mark each night, and says he doesn’t care how they get there.
Per VICE Sports:
Last week, I asked Doc Rivers if he wanted to shoot more of them. Here’s what he said: “I’d rather stay in the top ten in offense. You know it’s funny though, really, I think we’re six or five or seven, I don’t know where we’re at, but if we were that and shot a lot of threes I’d say ‘yeah let’s shoot a lot of threes.’ The goal is scoring. It’s not how you score. It’s to score as many points as you can. And we’re doing that. So there are games where we think we should’ve taken more threes, but there are also games where we thought we should take more layups, you know? So we don’t care how it adds up, and that’s what we talk about. If we can get to the 120 number or something like that, I don’t care if they’re ones. Let’s get there as quickly as possible.”
They’re built to attack in a modern way, with stretch fours (Danilo Gallinari, Mike Scott) and one ascending wing (Harris) representing three of the most lethal spot-up shooters in the league. Others—Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Avery Bradley—are way below their career average but still respected enough to open lanes for their teammates, be it Montrezl Harrell rumbling through for a lob or space for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to penetrate. (The Miami Heat are the only team currently averaging more field goal attempts from drives to the rim.)
“I’m gonna be honest with you,” Lou Williams told VICE Sports. “We just hoop, bro.”
