NBA Power Rankings Week 11: All-Star break edition

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24-14. Previous: 4th. Los Angeles Clippers. 8. team. 77.

Last Week: Lost to Milwaukee Bucks 105-100, Lost to Boston Celtics 117-112, Lost to Washington Wizards 119-117

This Week: 3/11 vs. Golden State Warriors

The issues that plagued that LA Clippers in the bubble last season have begun to rear their ugly head as the team stumbled into the All-Star break. They continue to crumble down the stretch of close games because they do not have an elite playmaker who can actually run an offense for them when a team makes things difficult in the halfcourt.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have had All-Star seasons to this point. Leonard is averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The much-maligned George is better than last season, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Unfortunately, he continues to be the most noticeable clutch issue for this team.

PG, though, is not the only one. Luke Kennard’s knees have limited the impact for the man who could be the best playmaker on the roster. He finished the first half of the season on a personal high note, dropping 14 points, four assists and four rebounds on the Wizards, but he will need to be on the floor more often to continue to excel.

The Clippers feel destined for a move but figuring out how to get there is tough. Being hard-capped means finding the exact financial fit will be a requirement. For now, there may just be more questions than answers.