At the Clippers, the “Fab Four” is having a hard time finding its bearings

With such forces present, one could have imagined offensive fireworks. This is anything but the case since the arrival of James Harden to the Clippers. After passing only 97 points to the Knicks defense, the Californians signed their smallest offensive output of the season with 93 points in their defeat in Brooklyn.

Tyron Lue noted that his team had not been able to reach the symbolic mark of 100 points on this double trip to New York. “ We have guys capable of scoring. Tonight, we refused a lot of open shots, which forces us to take more complicated shots », Regrets the coach, whose team shot at a very weak 39.6% success.

“ So it’s about trying to find those guys on the field, not stepping on each other’s toes. But they have to be themselves. That’s the most important thing, that’s the most important message: ‘Be yourself and if you overdo it, we’ll let you know.’ », Promises Tyronn Lue.

Kawhi Leonard barely served at the end

The latter is therefore looking for a good balance between its stars. This night in Brooklyn, while Russell Westbrook lacked skill for three quarters, James Harden, for example, signed a few isolations, with his usual long dribbling sessions, in the second.

He sought more to be a facilitator at the end of the game, while Paul George wanted to take charge, but he failed in his skills behind the arc and also lost balls, while Russell Westbrook found some color near the circle. Kawhi Leonard? Forgotten at the end of the match, with only two shots taken.

This simply reminds that ” the season is long » and that he and his teammates must maintain confidence in themselves, but must provide “ the extra effort ”, particularly on the rebound. Noting a “ different dynamics on the floor » with the new arrivals, he adds: “ I don’t think anyone steps on anyone else’s toes. »

Don’t be passive

Don’t step on each other’s toes while playing your game, not easy with such profiles. “ We can’t be passive, we need each of them to be themselves. It’s going to take a little time to figure it out. Finding the balance with these four guys, when they’re supposed to shoot, dribble, make the right choice, the right pass », Lists Tyronn Lue, believing that the integration of James Harden is not easy for him.

For his part, Paul George is not surprised by this mediocre start. The winger didn’t expect everything to work out in the second.

“ We are going to have development problems. We will get out of this. We will probably have to make other adjustments depending on how the season goes. I’m not worried about it “, sweeps “PG”, which admits that its Clippers thought “ have to win » these last two matches.

“ But it’s early in the season, too early in the season to have that mindset (to be worried). We have too big a strike force, we have too many great players here for it not to work. It’s a time of learning, getting to know each other again, learning to do things differently », continues Paul George, before repeating it too: “ I see everyone trying to be themselves while playing within a system. »