How the Los Angeles Clippers can bounce back from a disappointing start

Los Angeles Clippers: Score more points!

So far this season, the L.A. Clippers rank dead last in the NBA in points per game. In the modern NBA, 106.1 points per game is not enough to be considered an elite offense. If Coach Ty Lue wants to guide his team into the playoffs, he is going to have to start with reconstruction on the offensive end.

At the risk of sounding redundant, the team’s offensive woes start with the prolonged absence of Kawhi Leonard. Paul George is leading the team in scoring with a solid 23.6 points per game, but the second-highest scorer is Marcus Morris at 14.7 points per game. While Morris is a respected veteran, he is not expected to be the second-leading scorer on a team that had championship aspirations heading into the season.

Leonard averaged 27.1 points per game in the 2020 campaign, his first season in a Clippers uniform and the last time he was fully healthy. If this year’s team enjoyed this level of production from him, their offensive troubles may not exist.

Part of the team’s problems stems from its playing style. The team has two players shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range in Luke Kennard and Robert Morris, but as a unit, they are shy about attempting the long ball. As a team, the Clippers are attempting 31.4 3-pointers per game. That ranks 24th in the league.

They are shooting a respectable 36.6 percent from downtown, so the issue isn’t accuracy, it is attempts. Generally, when a team is shooting a decent percentage but lagging behind in attempts, it means that there are very few players on the team who consider the 3-point shot to be a legitimate part of their arsenal.

In Leonard’s absence, George must make up his mind to drive to the basket with more frequency. Doing so will draw more double teams, thus allowing him to pass the ball out to open perimeter shooters. The team is already making these shots at a respectable clip; increasing the number of chances created will result in more points scored on a nightly basis.