Paul George says Clippers can’t find their ‘identity’ after losing four out of past five games

Despite sitting fourth in the Western Conference, the Clippers have endured an unstable NBA season so far. It seems like they are a completely different team than the squad that produced one of the most successful road trips of the campaign early in February, they’ve posted 8-10 ever since and have now lost four out of their last five matches. 

This Sunday evening, the LA squad confirmed they’ve lost their mojo as they fell 110 to 93 at the Crypto.com Arena against a Trae Young-less Hawks. At one point during the game, they even were behind by as much as 29 points.

“It’s between the ears with us,” star Kawhi Leonard said about the Clippers’ current 42-25 mark. “We got to go out and do it.”

Paul George Says The Pacers Don't Have An Identity and Lack Toughness https://t.co/zg2pMtx6sp pic.twitter.com/5Xgfc4EOkQ

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The morale around the Los Angeles camp has been so low lately that forward Paul George is convinced they lack their own identity when they stand together on the court. The athlete explained why they are starting to look like a veteran-led roster, which is not ideal.

“I mean that’s what we’re appearing to look like, which is not good,” George said. “We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity. I’ve always spoken about having an identity and I think it’s extremely important. Right now, I don’t think we have an identity.”

Not too long ago, the California squad was playing some of their best basketball. During December and January they went 26-5, proving the NBA world they were right on trading for James Harden. However, Ty Lue’s roster has been banged up lately, as player’s like Russell Westbrook have been out due to a broken left hand for over a month now.

Against Atlanta, Leonard also felt their lack of identity despite him scoring 28 points. “Just seeing what we want to do,” he expressed postgame. “That’s it. What type of team we want to be. If everybody’s saying they want to be one of the last teams standing, then we got to go out and do it.”

Coach Tyronn Lue is well aware that the team isn’t playing well and need more than talent to win

After the squad played their sixth match in nine days, tactician Ty Lue noticed the Clippers lacked energy and inspiration throughout their discouraging loss to the Hawks on Sunday. The coach believes his team can’t solely depend on their talent to earn more victories, it’s more about establishing a playing culture.

“When they do it, it works,” Lue shared. “When you have so much talent and you have guys that can do it so easily, they don’t understand that your talent is great, but the talent’s got to be for the team as well.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL_dRSfB7OI

The Los Angeles trainer named a list of departments in which they need to improve, including transitioning to defense, their offensive rebounding and taking care of the basketball. Tyronn even considered himself being the problem behind the squad’s unsuccessful stretch.

“Maybe it’s me. Maybe I got to do something a little different to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. … [But] I’ll never really overreact because I know we’re a good team … If you want to win, I know what it looks like. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it,” he concluded.