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As of the moment, the Los Angeles Clippers are squarely in the eighth seed of the Western Conference. They still have nine games to go in their regular season campaign which means that there is a very real possibility that this squad outright gets an NBA Playoffs spot. Kawhi Leonard has been a big factor in those goals and he outlined how his teammates are thinking as the postseason looms.
Leonard knows Clippers want to compete in NBA Playoffs
The Clippers have just won three-straight games and are 6-4 in their last 10 matchups. Clearly, they have found the momentum that is needed if they want to make a deep run in the NBA Playoffs. But, why was there a sudden switch in their ferocity and will to win games? Leonard had the answer and it shows just how much of a championship player he is, via Law Murray of The Athletic.
"This group likes to play basketball. They love to have fun out there and compete. And we’re not scared of nobody, even if they’re more talented or the record’s better. We still want to go out and compete and try to have pride in playing and being competitive out there," the Clippers superstar said.
This Clippers team has grown into a possible dark horse for the Larry O'Brien trophy. As a team, they have the third-best field goal percentage in the league which is valued at 48.6%. Their effective field goal percentage also tells the same story because it ranks fifth with an insane 57.5%. When it comes to the bigger picture, the Leonard-led squad is also not a slouch. They have an offensive rating of 117.5 which is good for 10th in the NBA. The Clippers' defensive prowess also is insane because they only allow 112.5 per contest and that is 10th in the NBA.
"It’s a lot of young guys, guys that’s getting a lot of minutes in different roles this year that are stepping up. You just got to just tell them to enjoy the moment, even at times when we’re down or the calls ain’t going our way. It’s just basketball at the end of the day. … So, just keep one foot in front of the other and just play and have fun," the Clippers leader added.
Clearly, there are a lot of holes to patch up in this Clippers system but the glimmers of hope are there. As the NBA Playoffs approach, their mentality and goals of making it far will be all that matters when the lights start to shine a little brighter.
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