Have the Los Angeles Clippers figured everything out?
The Clippers' winning streak has been stretched to seven, the longest this season, after a blowout win against the New York Knicks.
Seven players scored in double digits in the 144-122 win over the visiting Knicks, led by Kawhi Leonard, who put up 36 points. Paul George, who just returned from a hip injury, scored 25, while third-star James Harden recorded 10 points with 12 assists.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged the positive changes that have been embracing his team in the past two weeks but insisted they can still get better.
"Progress is being made," he said.
"The guys are putting in the work every single day, whether it's practice that we don't have a lot of, but shootarounds we use to get better. Each shootaround the guys are putting in the work."
They can still improve and have the free agency in the next two months to work on that.
Let's look at how this winning streak came to be.
Key reasons why the Clippers' winning streak is something other teams should take a look at:
1. Stars are finally healthy.
Their problems in the past were attributed to the absence of key players, which was just one of the many reasons they are firing on all cylinders in their last seven outings.
They hired two stars - George and Leonard - as their top duo, but seeing them together for a long stretch was a rare sight since 2020.
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The pair has played just 142 games together (including more than 10 this season) from the supposed 410 regular season games since 2019.
Leonard himself knows he is healthier compared to the past years.
"Just me overall feeling better, trusting myself, and I'm able to show it more than say it," he said in October when asked to differentiate the energy coming into the new season last October.
"Last year I was trying to get into things a little bit slow just because of the feeling I was feeling in my knee, but I feel good. Them being able to see me move around and be agile like I used to, it kinda brings that energy."
Kawhi has played all 25 games for the Clips so far.
PG13 has been in and out of the lineup lately, but when he is on the court, it shows why the Clippers' management went for a partnership between him and the two-time MVP.
2. The right players surround Kawhi.
The Klaw won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs and one with the Toronto Raptors. In both instances, he had the privilege of playing in a system where he was supported by players who would help him use his style of play.
Lue has a system that is hardly taken advantage of because of the lack of players. Leonard is surrounded by gritty players, ready to get physical with any team. Norman Powell, Terrence Mann, Amir Coffey, and Ivica Zubac play well in their supporting roles.
Harden has been phenomenal, too, for the team as a floor general, and that allows more space for Leonard to operate.
3. Balance between Starting 5 and the bench.
This part is related to the #2. Russell Westbrook took the initiative to have himself relegated to the bench after they acquired James Harden.
PG and the Klaw found their right point guard and great complementary center in Zubac.
Powell is also a revelation as a sixth man as he steps up whenever a player from the starting five is out. Most notable of which was when he scored 21 points against the Golden State Warriors with PG nursing an injury. He also took PG's spot when the latter went down with an injury in a win against the Sacramento Kings.
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