Immediate John Collins Refinement to Boost Clippers
To escape the middle of the Western Conference, Tyronn Lue only needs to make a simple adjustment involving John Collins. After four games, with the fifth happening tonight at Intuit Dome, the LA Clippers hold a 2-2 record as the ninth seed, tied with the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.
The best word to describe the Clippers' current state is mediocre. The key change is for Lue to guarantee Collins at least 15 minutes each half. Currently, Collins plays 25.5 minutes per game coming off the bench, often replacing Ivica Zubac, Kawhi Leonard, or Derrick Jones Jr. This limited time is insufficient for LA to secure comfortable wins.
Increasing Collins' minutes significantly would address inconsistencies shown by several players on both offense and defense, offering a sustainable solution.
Coaching Decisions Based on Analytics
When finalizing the starting lineup, the coaching staff prioritized last season’s analytics. They sought a player with a similar impact to Norman Powell, which led to Bradley Beal starting at shooting guard. However, lacking data on John Collins and with Derrick Jones Jr. performing well, the starters remain unchanged.
The perfect word to sum up where LA is right now is mediocre, and the best way to positively change that is for Tyronn Lue to ensure John Collins receives a minimum of 15 minutes each half.
Increasing Collins' minutes significantly would be the best and most sustainable counter to the several guys who have shown inconsistencies on both sides of the ball.
Author's summary: Tyronn Lue can quickly elevate the Clippers from mediocrity by boosting John Collins’ playing time, addressing current lineup inconsistencies effectively.