Servers Ibaka Center was a few words of encouragement for his players as LA enters the second half of the regular season, with the playoffs just around the corner.
The NBA playoffs are expected to begin on May 22, just over two months away. As of right now, the Clippers are currently the fourth seed in the Western Conference, less than a percentage point behind the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s unclear what the Clippers value for home court advantage, especially in a season where fan presence remains a question mark. However, Ibaka seems to be referring less to winning, and especially to good practices.
Obviously, the detail can vary from night to night, and from opponent to opponent. But there is no denying that the most important thing the Clippers need to advance is on defense. LA is currently ranked 14th in the league in defensive rankings, which is not going to cut if the Clippers want to win competition. Other than the Warriors 2017-18 (which, let’s be honest, are a fake code), the NBA champion has not ranked outside the top 10 in defensive rankings from the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers ( also false code).
Ibaka is at the center of the Clippers defensive identity. If LA is hoping to gain the upper hand in the postseason, Ibaka needs to be an elite fringe defender and a proper switch defender. He also has to deal with difficult matchups like Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic.
If Ibaka can force these All-Stars to work for their points and extend them to the three-point line at the other end, it will greatly increase the Clippers ’chances. He’s not the same for LA, but every bit of the puzzle matters.
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