With the convincing win against Trae Young and the Hawks, the Clippers resembled the team they were at the beginning of the season: poised, consistent, and hungry. Perhaps it arose from Ty Lue’s pre-game talk with the team, or maybe it came from those who stepped up, like Amir Coffey, spreading a contagious energy that resulted in a much-needed victory. Regardless of where that vigor came from, it’s clear that the Clippers rediscovered what made them stand out from the rest of the crowd in the Western Conference.
But applying that to opponents as elite as Nikola Jokiu0107 and the Nuggets is another challenge in and of itself.