For only the second time in a decade, the Clippers will not make the NBA Playoffs. The band of Tyronn Lue – deprived in particular of Paul George – fell in arms once morest the Pelicans last night and will therefore have to watch the postseason on TV. All this to bounce back better next year?
A match in the image of their season. This is how we might sum up in one sentence this last meeting of the Clips once morest the Pels. Deprived of Kawhi Leonard and a covid Paul George at the worst time, the Angelinos gave everything to try to snatch the win despite the unfavorable circumstances. They made a big comeback as so often this season. Tyronn Lue has once once more adjusted brilliantly to allow his team to be as competitive as possible. But in the end, they therefore fell 105-101 once morest Brandon Ingram and Co., thus seeing the Playoffs fly away following a very honorable season with 42 wins for 40 losses. Inevitably, disappointment is in order today. Because when you finish eighth in the West and you miss two opportunities (in Minnesota first and therefore tonight once morest New Orleans) to validate your ticket for the postseason, there’s reason to regret. A qualification in the Playoffs would have been a great reward for a group that never gave up from start to finish this year. However, we are not going to lie to each other, this 2021-22 campaign has often looked like a transition campaign given the situation surrounding Kawhi Leonard. And we already have our eyes turned towards the future on the side of the City of Angels today.
Nicolas Batum said it, “there’s a huge season ahead of the Clippers next year”. A huge season with one and the same goal: the NBA title. Kawhi will be back with a knife between their teeth, Paul George will be by his side to guide everyone, the group is built to win now and has even been strengthened over the course of the season, and Ty Lue’s team knows each other by heart. So yes, it’s especially next year that we’ll be waiting for the Clips. Last year’s very good run with a first conf’ final was necessarily an important step for the Californian franchise, but it will have to give way to a first participation in the NBA Finals in June 2023. Any other result would be considered as a failure. So obviously, as always, there will be competition in the West, but Steve Ballmer’s championship project is maturing, all that remains is to do the job on the court. So see you in October, complete and drooling.
The Clippers’ great season ends with a big disappointment, but at some point, when you’re deprived of your two best players, it gets complicated. This 2021-22 campaign has still shown just how strong Ty Lue’s group is collectively, and the foundations are clearly laid to make a huge run next year when everyone is healthy.
