3 unsurprising reasons the Clippers are bad right now
Losers of eight straight and 10 of 11 games, the Los Angeles Clippers are bad right now. This comes as no surprise. Crucial injuries to their starting backcourt of Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic - as well as forward Danilo Gallinari - have thrown off their equilibrium.
There appears to be good news on the horizon, however: Beverley plans to return to action Monday against the Knicks, sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. His importance to the Clippers is clear - as are these glaring issues from the team's losing streak.
Non-existent defense
The Clippers' defense has completely cratered in the absence of Beverley. Since Nov. 4, they have the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA and are allowing opponents to shoot 48 percent from the floor. While DeAndre Jordan remains an elite rim protector, he was outmuscled Saturday by Dwight Howard, and the perimeter remains gaping with Beverley out. In the 15-point loss to the Hornets, Kemba Walker drained five treys.
Back-to-earth shooting
Blake Griffin was making like Ray Allen in the season's first two weeks. In his first nine games, the power forward hit on 42.2 percent of his 3-point shots. Since then, it's been 28.4 percent. For a career 31 percent shooter beyond the arc, his sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.
While Griffin's outside shot isn't falling as much, the Clippers are back to relying on his and Jordan's predictable inside game. Gallinari's absence hurts here too, and Austin Rivers is a combined 19-for-63 on field goals in the last four games. When Lou Williams is your leading scorer on 17 heaves, like he was on Saturday, you're not in great shape.
Same old Clippers
Remember when the Clippers had a thin bench? They still do, only now, those guys are starting. Wesley Johnson has been thrust into starter's minutes with Gallinari out, and Sindarius Thornwell is the first rookie to start for a Doc Rivers squad since Rajon Rondo in 2006-07.
Thornwell will return to the bench with Beverley back, but Teodosic's foot injury remains a blow to more ball movement. The Clippers are last in the NBA in assist ratio, with Griffin leading the team at 4.7 dimes per contest.