What the LA Clippers have learned about themselves in bubble

The LA Clippers dominated the game against the Dallas Mavericks. While making up for the loss against the Suns, they found out something about themselves.

Having a short memory is key in the NBA. The LA Clippers came out and displayed that short memory when they came out against the Dallas Mavericks.

After a 25 3-pointer game to break the franchise record the LA Clippers only made eight threes the next game. They showed an inability to defend the perimeter as Devin Booker scored 35 points and also had the game-winner.

In the next game, the Clippers had to deal with Luka Doncic while Patrick Beverley was out for the game. Doncic was not able to have the game that had the same impact that Booker did. While he scored 29 points he was 10-of-21 and most of the damage came from outside.

Kawhi Leonard talked about the challenge of guarding Doncic after the game:

"“It’s a guy that you have to game plan around. I mean, you see it tonight, how he just constantly put pressure on us. But I think this team, we have so many defenders, we got so many guys, it’s just tough over a full game where you have to go through defender after defender.”"

The LA Clippers showed another facet of their game in the game. Their interior play on both sides of the ball can be elite.

Ivica Zubac went for 21 points and was 100 percent from the floor. Marcus Morris Sr. scored 16 points and went 71.4 percent from the field. Finally, JaMychal Green scored 10 points, had five rebounds and was also 100 percent from the field.

It was another record-setting game for the Clippers. This time Zubac tied the franchise record for most made field goals without a miss.

According to NBA.com Zubac said this about the game:

"“I just kept doing my job of rolling and sealing in the paint, and my teammates kept finding me. They had confidence in me. Got some easy offensive rebounds, putbacks. It felt good.”"

Through playmaking from their superstars, the Clippers were able to get elite play from their bigs. They have learned something that will help them in the half-court.

We all know what the Clippers are. A team with two superstars that set the tone. What Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are able to get off the rest of the team follows.

LA only has Landry Shamet as a 3-point specialist. They don’t have an amazing playmaker dishing out passes. What they do have is those two superstars and the attention they attract helps the team flourish in the half-court.

George and Leonard are the leading scorers for the team. They can create offense and now that has extended to playmaking. Time and time again the star duo brought the ball up the court and initiated the offense. They put big men in position with efficient passes and used their scoring ability to attract attention. That in turn made way for easy baskets from the bigs.

The Clippers will need easier, more efficient ways to score and further putting the ball in the hands of their stars to create things is a great way to do so.

The basics are always what works. The big man was the first superstar in the early days of the NBA. Finding ways to get your big man involved always leads to success in basketball.

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers talked about how great the overall team play was in the game:

”I just liked how we played overall,” Rivers said. ”We played like a team tonight, on both ends.”

When your big man is getting easy baskets that helps them get more active on defense. It is harder to score on your team, you keep the pace up and your overall play is more efficient.

The Clippers learned how to further involve more players into their offense which for a team that already has tons of depth is deadly. These games are a way to learn how to effectively play on both sides of the ball. Also, how to play as a team.

What the Clippers have found out is that the more their best players touch the ball the better the team will play as a whole.

Leonard and George have both led teams to long playoff runs. A steady dose of both players in a playmaking role is like Adrian Peterson touching the ball 30 times in his prime. It will control the game and good things more times than not will happen.