Doc Rivers to Clippers: “Why Are We Complacent?”
The 2014-15 NBA regular season has been a confusing one for the Los Angeles Clippers. The team stands at 3-2, but the above-.500 record has been the result of almost entirely lackluster play.
Head coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers is seeking answers.
The Clippers are coming off of a 121-104 defeat at the hands of the bitter rival Golden State Warriors. It was the culmination of a slow start that included a loss to the Sacramento Kings and narrow victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz and the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to Arash Markazi of ESPN, Rivers has a very simple question for the Clippers: what do you think you’ve accomplished?
"“Why are we complacent?” Rivers said. “What have we done? If that’s the issue, that’s really alarming. I don’t know if that is or isn’t [the issue] but there’s a reason why we’re not playing as hard as we should and we’re not as focused. I don’t know the reason and as a coach that’s troubling and I want to find out the reason. Sometimes the coach never finds out, the players find it, and you hope that’s the case.”"
The only players on the roster with a championship ring are backups Glen Davis and Jordan Farmar.
Los Angeles has made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons for the first time since they were the Buffalo Braves in 1976. They won a franchise record 57 games in 2013-14 and won a playoff series for just the third time ever.
As big as that may be, it’s underwhelming for a team with two MVP candidates, a Defensive Player of the Year favorite and a Hall of Fame coach.
The Clippers boast a core of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Chris Paul and, of course, Rivers. There’s also two-time and defending Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford to lead the second unit.
With a cast of quality role players, the Clippers have the talent to contend for a championship. The question is, how can they right the ship?
Per Rivers, it won’t be via team meetings.
"“I don’t believe in team meetings,” he said. “Sometimes they help, but I’m just not a big fan of them. There are some that help but overall when I read about team meetings in the league, I’m thinking I hope we play them next. You need a meeting to tell each other the truth? They all know it. We all know we didn’t play hard and didn’t compete. I don’t think we need a team meeting for that. That’s just me.”"
Something’s off.
If you ask the coach, the Clippers aren’t trying hard enough. Should that prove to be true, then increase in energy is all his team needs to recover and contend.
Until then, Rivers’ question is fair: “Why are we complacent?”